In the Shadows
by kandisi
Summary: Yaoi Lime, Complete. Lei found out Kazuya's big secret... Kazuya knows Lei's. Bryan and Lee know both's. Jin and Hwoarang just want to know WHAT the heck is going on... Jin x Hwoarang, Bryan x Lei, Kazuya x Lee.
1. Meetings and Greetings

**-As always, please read the boring ol' author's notes...**

**-A/N: **So I finally wrote another new crap fic... (That can actually be posted on fanfictiondotnet, that is, LOL...) There are eleven chapters, but I'll be straight forwards that this fic actually has not even light smut in it, though there are three yaoi/shounen-ai pairings to be found. Edit: They are JinxHwoarang, BryanxLei, & KazuyaxLee. (Like you expected anything else from me, anyway.) But yeah... came and edited this to give them anyway, because I knew by leaving them surprises (when I know it's obvious, anyway..) I was just setting myself up to be flamed. -.-;;

-This fanfic actually isn't even R, yet I'd go over PG-13 just for the language in parts, and for some of the implications, so therefore I'd give it an M15 rating. I'll put it under R rather than PG-13 anyway, though, just to play it safe. ;P

-The title 'In the Shadows' comes from the Story of the Year song, since once again, many of my ideas are sparking from music I listen to. (lol) Except for chapter 3, which came from this weird dream I had a little over a month ago...

-Once again, PLEASE no flames/over extensive CC... I am a wiener... -.-;;

(And is it just me, of has ffdotnet now removed even MORE symbols...?)

**-Disclaimer: **Again, I do not own anything but the cruddy fic... And this nice SoBe energy drink I'm partaking of. Mmm, SoBes...

**In the Shadows**

Chapter 1: Meetings and Greetings

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_We speak just like the closest enemies..._

_-Dan Marsala_

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Detective Lei Wulong sat alone at one of the many small, scattered tables about the relatively large coffee shop, newspaper in hands.

Things were blatantly getting worse...

In recent timings, the mafia outbreaks had gotten out of control. People were dying one after the other, many times for no apparent reason. Before Lei eventually did leave Japan to return to his homeland of China, he was determined to piece this new mystery together. Or was it a new mystery? Maybe... just maybe, it was an old mystery rekindled...

"Afternoon, Lei."

Lei lowered the newspaper which had bee blocking his view, a smile now gracing its way to his facial features. "Hello, Jin. How are you?"

Jin pulled the chair on the opposing side of the small, round table from underneath; a skidding noise surfacing in the air from the scrape against the smooth floor before the Karate fighter then sat down.

"I'd be lying if I said everything was going smoothly," Jin admitted with an alongside sigh. "My life seems to get more and more complicated by the day."

"I can relate to that very well indeed," replied Lei with a sigh of his own, before folding the newspaper in hand and placing it to once again rest on the table's top surface. "It seems you've lost your conservative wardrobe for a change."

Jin nodded at this. "Ever since my grandfather's death, I no longer have concealing faces following my every move."

"Be it may, Jin, you can still never be too careful. Even most pleasant of faces can be a mask," Lei assured.

"I very well know that," responded Jin, who looked out the clear and large window lining the full side of the coffee shop. "Which is why I'm once again leaving this place shortly. Many unpleasant feelings and memories I do not wish to experience the displeasure of are held here."

"Normally, one making a statement such as this would be in for a very long and boring speech on how running away from your fears and problems never solves them, but unfortunately, I agree with you..."

Jin laughed ever so slightly, as did Lei. "Now, what is it you wanted to talk about?" inquired Kazama.

Lei elicited a log exhale, gathering the right words before speaking them. "Jin, I know this is a subject both of us do not wish to discuss, but I must know... I have a feeling Kazuya may very well be the hidden ringleader pedaling the newly arisen mafia around town..."

"I highly doubt that," Jin responded knowingly, "I'd say it's rather obvious who the ringleader for this outbreak is..."

"Bryan Fury, I know..." murmured Lei, facing the table. "But that's just it... Fury's not one to order the dirty work, he's one to do it..."

"So you think Bryan is working for the Mishima Conglomerate?" Jin questioned, not sounding very much appealed to this suggestion.

"I really don't know... There's both evidence that supports this idea, yet contradicts it. The nature of so many of these killing sprees and even the individually targeted deaths do not always represent Fury's style... He is not one to conceal himself, nor his motives. He wants us to know who and how he's going to kill someone before he does it, to show us his power..." Lei whispered, sounded sickened at the thoughts, "Yet the targets are dying off in such... strange ways... It's as if... they died from nothing..."

Jin looked utterly perplexed. "Lei-san, I'm a bit lost here..."

"Trust me; you are not alone in that department... It's got everyone living in a world fed by curiosity. Point is, this is not Fury's style of 'dumping the trash' as he puts it... These people are not poisoned, not mutilated, hell, not beat up or blemished in any way at all. They just die, and no one can figure out how. Bryan's even been factually proven to be in a completely different location from that of the occurring deaths at the same time they, in fact, occurred."

"Why is it you are telling me this?" inquired Jin with his own now flared spark of curiosity. "Shouldn't this technically be confidential evidence you could get into a heap of trouble for sharing with anyone?"

"Technically..." Wulong began with a sigh, "Yes..."

"Than why?"

Lei looked down, staring into his partially empty coffee cup. "When I went to question Kazuya yesterday, I... saw something... Something I surely wasn't meant to see... It was Kazuya and..."

"Ah ha!"

Jin and Lei both turned with startled jumps.

"There you are, Kazama. I've been looking for you everywhere. Thought you could get away from me, huh?"

"Hwoarang..." Lei sighed with annoyance, "How pleased I am to once again be greeted with your presence."

"And fuck you too, Wulong," Hwoarang spat, giving him the finger with a sarcastic smile.

"I told you to stop calling me by my given name. Don't you have any respect?" Lei criticized with a hand gesture.

"Hmm, let me think... No," Hwoarang laughed.

"Hwoarang! There you are, and Jin! And Lei!"

Jin sighed as Ling Xiaoyu bounced her way over to join the ever growing collection of fighters, while rude glances were profusely thrown about the coffee shop in relation to all the sudden noise.

Xiaoyu hugged Jin from behind, before running around the table to do the same to Lei.

"What are all of you doing here?" Xiaoyu asked the detective.

Just as both Jin and Lei opened their mouths to answer with a different, offhand excuse, Hwoarang was quick to cut in first. "I found an open letter in Kazama's living room from miss priss here, telling him they had some 'private' business to discuss," Hwoarang smirked.

"What did you just call me?" Lei asked in an aggravated voice.

"But Jin," Xiaoyu protested, leaning forwards to support her upper weight on the table, "You already promised to go to the theme park with us."

"I know, I know, and I have every intention of still going." Jin smiled, trying to make his statement seem more authentic.

"How about you, Lei-Lei?" Xiaoyu brightly asked, "Would you like to come, too? So are Miharu, Steve, and Christie. We're going to have a blast!"

"Sshh!" a good number of people stated, one who was a man poking his face around his Toshiba laptop to shoot the fighters all an annoyed glance.

"I don't know..." Lei said with a shrug.

"Well, there you have it; we're all going, the cop's not, so lets those of use who are get the hell out of here already," Hwoarang declared, once again tugging at Jin's arm.

"No, I think I'll go after all," Lei smirked, shooting the redhead a rude look from beneath his thick tendrils of bangs.

"Whatever," Hwoarang then growled, "Can we all just leave then? We're already late as it is."

"Fine," Jin sighed, beginning to rise from his seat at the small table. As the detective made his way to do the same, many hopeful glances from those seated nearby were to be seen in the hopes of actually getting some peace and quiet.

"Maybe I'll get a chance to discuss more of our business there," Lei stated, looking at Jin.

"And _what_ business is this?" Hwoarang asked suspiciously.

"It's about my mother," Jin answered. "I'll explain later..."

"Oh..." Hwoarang remarked, knowing this was a subject the Karate fighter most certainly liked avoiding. Xiaoyu was already waiting at the revolving doors up front, waving for everyone to come on.

"Today's going to be a day to remember," Xiaoyu said in a cheerful voice.

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-

In a large, custom-carved desk, Kazuya Mishima sat in an all too temperate manner. His glance was directed primarily at the double doors to his front as he continued to sit. Just waiting. Kazuya had been waiting for surely an hour by this point in time, and his patience was wearing thin, though his composure was kept smooth, as always.

Kazuya smirked to himself.

He had to have one crappy security system, if he did say so himself.

"I've been in here for quite sometime, you know," a dark voice laughed, originating from the shadows within Kazuya's huge office, which he almost always kept at a dark atmosphere.

"I know that," Kazuya grinned. The two Tekkenshu on either side of the entrance doors raised their guns as expressions furrowed in both confusion, and fear... "Leave us," Kazuya ordered the set of soldiers, who were obviously more than happy to abide.

"They lack even more intelligence than I can remember," the hidden man smirked from the darkness. With a quick snap of Kazuya's long fingers, light was instantaneous in filling the room. Bryan Fury had been casually seated in an armchair the whole fucking time, it seemed.

"Very true," the Mishima sighed, knowing it was. "It's getting harder to find men who can actually serve me accurately."

"Which is why you called on me, I'd say," Fury replied simply enough. "Mind you Kazuya I do not serve you. I'm in for the game."

"That's why I know I can count on you to get the jobs done," Kazuya remarked in the same tone of voice. "It's the ones in it for the money I have to second-guess so incessantly. It's rather pathetic, wouldn't you say?"

"Quite," Bryan responded. "Now, let's get down to business. I'd like to get back down to my own as soon as possible."

"Very well then," the CEO replied rather nonchalantly. "Wulong never returned earlier today, I gather?"

"I'd say from the tone in your voice you know that already. That wasn't a question, it was statement," Bryan growled.

Kazuya's derisive grin heightened in amusement. "I like the way you negotiate, Fury. We could use men like you in the business world."

"Don't try to flatter me, Kazuya," Fury remarked in the same coherent voice filled with spite. "Get to point."

"You know what I want," Kazuya smirked in response, "And I know you want. However, Lei Wulong must not be allowed to die just yet. That's what this is all about. I have plans for him..."

"I know that, yet as much I enjoy playing this little game of yours, I'd much rather play by my own rules."

"You can get back to that shortly, I assure," Kazuya guaranteed with a casual hand gesture of the sorts. "You will be well compensated, and I'll make sure you are able to leave Japan without any trouble. Not to mention enough money to last you a year in whatever is the country of your choosing. I just received word Lei Wulong was seen with my son Jin Kazama no less than ten minutes ago, already discussing the two of us. He's getting close... Too close. He already knows too much as it is."

"Definite proof that maybe your hidden actions are not being concealed as well as they should be," Bryan assured with a mocking grin. "How many have died for the same reason, might I ask? Eight? Ten?"

"I have a reputation to maintain," Kazuya growled in response. "You don't. Now, Wulong has joined my son and their little friends in going to a theme park on this night."

"Won't there be quite a few people there?"

"Exactly."

Bryan's grin curled. "I like it."

"Everything will be set up before they even arrive." Kazuya menacingly grinned. "Now get to it, and make it look believable."

"My pleasure..."


	2. Caught on Carousel

**A/N:** I suppose I should start scolding myself for not making these updates sooner. -.-;; I keep worrying about getting flamed. (I'm being honest here...) ChibiShiva, I also I finished the challenge fic, which I will also probably post here later today or tomorrow, and once again hope not to get flamed... I'm still saddened after a real nasty one I received a couple weeks ago... Not here, though, it was at livejournal. I can at least laugh at the fact that this rabid fangirl didn't know WHY I had given Jin wings in a few fanworks, which she also flamed me for. Apparently, she knew nothing except that Jin, Hwoarang, Lee, and Lei were hot to her and should have a big orgy. (laughs) She also flamed me for not pairing Lei with Lee, when I actually have before.. :P And me is mad that even MORE of the symbols are gone... Chibi, I share your wrath of the lost symbols...

I also need to mention this just because. TO updated today, and did anyone else out there other than Audrey and I note the way ALL of the screenshots were of BryanvsLei and KazuyavsLee? LOL. (I'm stupid...) And I suppose Lei's taken a very big liking to baby-pink silky stuff..

Okay, I'll shut-up now...

**In the Shadows**

Chapter 2: Caught on Carousel

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"Thanks for the ride, Lei-Lei," Xiaoyu said with a nod of the head. "Though I still don't get why Hwoarang insisted on having me ride in here, rather than on his motorcycle."

Jin and Lei both sighed in unison, knowing exactly the reason.

Suddenly, a honking noise was heard from Lei's right, as he looked out the window to see none other than Hwoarang.

"Whoo-hoo! I feel the need for speed, mothafuckas!" the redhead shouted, proceeding to speed past Lei's police car and down the street; interweaving between every vehicle in his path.

"...I'm not even going to say anything," Lei once again sighed, while Jin rubbed his temples.

"So Lei, why haven't you left to return home yet?" Xiaoyu asked from Lei's left, as she sat in the middle between Lei and Jin.

"Another case to worry about, go figure," Wulong replied, keeping his eyes set on the street before him. "But I will eventually be leaving soon, nevertheless. I have to get back to my station in given time or the Interpol with have my throat."

"That doesn't seem very nice..." Xiaoyu stated in a trail, "After all, you're the one doing the work."

"I know, but it's hard to get credit for solving your own missions these days..."

Xiaoyu's brows furrowed. "But shouldn't solving the missions and saving lives be worth much more than the credit in the first place? That's what you should have your eye on, for that is the prize."

Jin laughed, while Lei wished he had a dashboard to bang his head against at this time.

Ling was dead right.

"I know that, Xiaoyu..." Lei muttered, then flicking on his car's headlights since the darkness had mounted rather rapidly outside. "Oh go figure, I'm always wrong, though..."

"You should stop putting yourself down so much," stated Jin in remarks. "You can only speak with sarcasm so long before it disappears."

"It did a long time ago, Jin..." Lei said with an exhale, the sky then filling with bright lights of the sorts.

"Ooh, we're here," Xiaoyu said with her voice beaming in excitement.

"Good luck finding a parking place," granted Jin, instantly noting they were most defiantly going to have to park a mile away from the theme park. The lot seemed to be full already.

"Leave that to me," Lei assured, sounding rather hopeful.

"Why are you heading down the front row?" Jin immediately inquired, "We'll never find a vacant space here."

A completely free lane soon came into view, which Lei no sooner parked against.

"Uh, isn't this a 'no parking' lane?" Jin asked in more of statement.

Lei nodded. "And this is a police car, therefore I have special benefits while driving it."

"No argument here," Ling chuckled, while Jin gave a shrug.

Right when the long-haired fighter exited the vehicle, he sighed yet again, shaking his head.

"What is it?" Jin asked with furrowing brows, before directing his glance to what Lei's was set on.

"That's Hwoarang's Harley parked in a handicap space. What I want to know is where he acquired that phony handicapped license plate to put over his own..."

"Probably a junk yard," Jin remarked.

"Go figure. I wonder what other lovely trinkets he finds in his home," Lei smirked.

"That was rude," Xiaoyu criticized, "Though Hwoarang does deserve a hauling for this..."

"Please don't do it, Lei," Jin entreated, "Then we'll never hear the end of it. You know as well as I do it's not worth it..."

Lei shuddered to some degree. "Okay, point made..."

"Well what are we waiting for, let's go have some fun!" Xiaoyu exclaimed, ringing either of her arms around those of Jin and Lei as she stood between them.

"I still can't believe I'm here," Jin sighed.

"Me neither," replied Lei.

"I know. I never would've expected you to come."

"I meant believe that you're here," Lei added on.

"Oh shut up."

All three of the fighters began to laugh, as they proceeded in their walk towards the large theme park, still arm-in-arm.

"So we're heading for the ferris wheel, right?" inquired Jin.

Xiaoyu nodded, either of her neatly pulled back pigtails shaking with each motion of the head. "That's where everyone agreed to meet."

"And it looks like we're not actually at all that late," stated Jin, "Thanks to Lei's handy parking."

"Hey, Hwoarang didn't do much better," Lei pouted in retort.

"But he's Hwoarang," Xiaoyu sighed. "Thankfully, he's actually not acting so much like an asshet as he was before."

"I find that hard to believe," replied Lei with a roll of the eyes.

As the three fighters reached the front entrance, they briefly stood in one of the short lines to pay their ways in.

"Just great," Lei said with faked enthusiasm, "I just love burning money."

"In most cases these days, you have to burn money to burn time," Jin added on.

"Good point," Lei chuckled, paying the entrance fee directly after Jin had.

"Ooh, just look at this place, you guys!" the young Chinese girl brightly exclaimed while tugging at both Jin's and Lei's arms yet again. "See, one day when I build a theme park, it will be even bigger than this! Oh! And I'll have a huge rollercoaster that's pink, and rides made up of flying panda planes, and a water slide, and a pink spinnaker, and a large store that sells just cotton candy, and, and a loopdeeloop that goes way up high, and ice-cream, and a mini-zoo, and, and just oh so much!"

Jin and Lei were looking at each other over Xiaoyu's head, struggling to skip along with her. Both of them just laughed yet again.

"Sounds like a good goal, Xiaoyu," granted Lei.

"Think it will happen?"

"I'm sure it will," Lei said with a smile.

"Well it's about time you fuckers got here."

"It's Hwoarang," Lei said without even turning to face forward. "I just know it."

Jin nodded sure enough.

The redhead walked up to Lei, and slapped him hard on the back to where he nearly fell over. "I'm surprised driving two miles per hour could get you all here that fast."

"And I'm surprised you haven't been called in for sticking fake handicap plates over your own," Lei smirked in response to this.

"You parked in the fire lane, didn't you?"

Lei sighed yet again this day. "Forgetting..."

"Good."

"Hey you guys!" Miharu Hirano exclaimed with a wave, then rushing over to give Xiaoyu a hug. She was soon followed by Steve Fox and Christie Monteiro.

"Hey bloke," Steve said directed at Lei, "Didn't expect to see you here tonight."

"Or did you mean 'didn't want' to see you here tonight?" Hwoarang rudely laughed.

"Give it a rest, Hwoa," Jin stated with a shake of the head.

"I had some free time tonight and thought 'why not?'", Lei replied to the blonde boxer.

"Yeah, cause' the hair salon was booked," Hwoarang snickered.

"Really? That happened to me too," Christie stated as she joined the group, "Isn't that so annoying?"

Hwoarang continued laughing, while Lei continued sighing. "Sure..."

"Ooh ooh, let's go ride the carousel," Xiaoyu suggested happily, clinging onto Jin's left-arm. "Sorry," she then giggled, "I suppose after all the non-stop school work for so long, I'm excited now that it's finally over."

"Why not?" asked Steve, "Christie and I have already ridden the ferris wheel ten times waiting for you all to get here."

"And four of those times, Miharu and I were on it too," Hwoarang scolded, looking at Lei. "Like I said, two miles per hour."

"Yes Hwoarang, I drove the speed limit. Whatever shall we do?" the detective stated with sarcastic fright contained in his voice.

"Hey, watch it, 'Lei-Lei'," Hwoarang warned.

Lei huffed. "Please don't call me that, Rangy."

"Oh goddamnit," Hwoarang said, flailing his arms, "Let's just go ride those horses already."

"Yay," Xiaoyu stated in tune to this.

The seven fighters began ambling in the direction of the carousel, which actually wasn't too many yards away. Lei walked alongside Christie, as Steve moved forwards to talk to Jin. "So, any luck with Eddy?" asked the long-haired detective.

Christie let out a saddened sigh, facing the ground beneath. "Even now, no one's been able to find him... I know he's here... I just know it. Yet I also know Eddy doesn't want me to get hurt over him..."

"I think that shows he cares a great deal for you," Lei admitted with a nod.

"I know that... but I had always hoped he would show me this in a different way," Christie replied in an uneasy voice.

"So how's it going?" Jin asked Steve, gesturing back to where Lei and Christie were walking.

"I feel it's just no use..." Steve remarked, running a hand back through his blonde hair. "I'm knackered. No matter what, it's obvious that mentor of hers is the only guy in her eyes..."

"This is getting confusing..." Hwoarang laughed, looking over his shoulder to make sure Miharu and Xiaoyu weren't listening in, "So you want Christie, Christie wants Eddy, Julia wants you, Xiaoyu wants Jin, Miharu wants me, and Jin wants me. Oh what the hell? Everyone wants a piece of this redhead," Hwoarang boasted.

Steve sighed with a chortle. "So... how are you planning to tell everyone about this?" asked the boxer.

"It's brewing in here, it's just, you know, not ready yet," Hwoarang said while tapping his head. "I mean... I like Miharu, after all, and Xiaoyu's a fun gal too, when she's not stoked up on sugar like it was cocaine."

"Why isn't Julia here again?" Jin questioned the British fighter.

"Oh you know her. Always doing work at the labs, still researching this genocell."

"How fucking boring is that?" Hwoarang laughed, "The only way I'm staring at a screen all day is if there's a remote or game controller in my hands. Or porn."

"Remind me to give you another one of my boring lectures, Hwoa," Jin sighed with his arms folded.

Hwoarang threw his left-arm over Jin. "Well ya know, the birds and bees are just as interesting."

"You're hopeless," Steve laughed.

"Jin and Hwoarang seem to be on good terms, lately..." Lei said in a curious voice, looking forwards at the two as they laughed together.

"Well, you know how it is. The enemy of your enemy is your friend," Christie replied.

"Still, there is a difference between choosing sides and choosing comrades," remarked the detective, as they reached the carousel.

"We're in luck, it's just now loading," Miharu made noticed, as her and Xiaoyu trotted up the small flight of stares.

The other fighters then followed, soon reaching the large collection of artificial horses.

"I'm riding the unicorn," Xiaoyu stated, hopping atop it as she grasped the gold-colored pole. Miharu jumped up on the neighboring horse.

"This one's kind of high, want a lift?" Steve asked Christie in a polite voice.

She smiled. "Sure."

The tall boxer knelt down, to help the Brazilian woman up onto it.

"Thanks Steve," Christie granted once on top of the horse, "Yet, I don't think it was necessary for you to grab my thighs that low."

Lei started laughing, before Hwoarang punched him in the arm, fairly hard. "Lay off, dumb ass."

"Hey, you better—"

"Okay, that's enough you two," Jin ordered, standing between the two men. He looked up at Hwoarang, and then down at Lei with a smirk. "Let's just ride already."

Hwoarang grabbed Jin's arm, then pulling him further down the round row to find some empty seats, "Yah, you know you'd like me to have a good ride."

"...Did that just sound like what I thought it was?" Lei asked in a murmur. "Of course not. I don't know what I'm thinking..." he scolded himself at the sheer _insanity_ of the idea, then jumping up on the horse to Christie's right, which was on the outside. No sooner later, the carousel started to move, as the horses all began moving up and down in tune to the classic music. Numerous lights flashed in a bright illumination, as the carousel began to speed up with its rotations.

Everyone began laughing, smiling, and talking brightly.

"Look, no hands!" Steve exclaimed, right before nearly falling off with a squeal.

"Watch it there, Steve," Christie chuckled, as Lei also did.

This was definitely new for Lei. He was actually enjoying himself, and in such a careless way. No schedule, no tasks, nothing set in stone to be completed or solved. It actually felt nice. The cool night air blew back through his vastly long raven hair, as Lei just briefly contemplated while looking at his surroundings.

Lei's smile faded in an instance, when in the midst of the large crowed, he saw something.

Someone.

"B-Bryan...?" Lei murmured. No. No, it couldn't have been. He was seeing things, right? There were a lot of people, one after the other. Perhaps his eyes were just playing tricks on him again? Not used to having this much fun, right? That's what it was all about. The carousel was quick to make another full rotation, as Lei looked to the exact spot he thought he had seen Fury standing before.

The crowed was there, but no Fury.

"I'm losing it," Lei whispered to himself.

"Something wrong, Lei?" Christie asked, noting Lei's smile had faded in such a fast motion.

Lei chuckled, and shook it off. "No, not at all."

"Isn't this fun?" she then inquired, raising her voice to overlap that of the loud music associated with the carousel.

"It sure is," Steve said with a laugh, "Giddiup there," he ordered, smacking the side of the plastic horse. Christie and Lei both started laughing in hysterics, until Lei briefly looked in the mirror past Steve which lined the carousel's center.

And in the reflection...

Lei gasped, and quickly turned his head back to the right.

"Lei?" Christie once again inquired, "What is it? You've got that shocked appearance again?"

No sooner, Lei swore he heard a dark laugh in the distance. This voice was so low... So low it could be distinguished over every other noise there was ringing through the air. The detective turned around.

On the outside of the railing, he saw none other than Bryan Fury waving at him...

"Oh my gods," whispered Lei, who jumped straight off of the horse, barely missing a rather harsh fall to the ground. No sooner, Lei was seen jumping right over the rather tall railing which surrounded the circular carousel.

"What the hell?!" Steve exclaimed, not understanding what was going on at all.

"What's he doing?" Christie also questioned aloud.

Xiaoyu and Miharu both turned around when hearing Steve's abrupt exclamation. "What's going on?" asked Xiaoyu, then noticing the empty horse. "Where's Lei?"

"I don't know," Steve yelled, struggling to keep his voice at a level which could be heard over the music and other voices combined, "He just took off."

"What was Steve yelling about back there?" Jin questioned Hwoarang, who was on the horse next to him. The horses were moving up and down at opposite paces, so it was hard for the two fighters to maintain decent audibility.

"I don't know," Hwoarang remarked, then turning around. "Hey wait a minute... Where's Wulong?"

"Right there!" Jin exclaimed, looking ahead as he saw none other than the detective himself running through a large crowd as various people were near to knocked over. He was blatantly holding his gun.

Hwoarang just stared. "What the hell?"

-

-------

-

"Move! Sorry! Coming through!" exclaimed Lei in one after the other words as he broke through the large crowed of people. Popcorn and cotton candy went flying every which way, since the detective was bumping in to and knocking people over one after the other like dominos. Up ahead, Lei could see people who had already fallen standing back up, which was a sure sign that Fury had just ran in the same direction. After sprinting about forty more yards, the crowd began to thin, and the darkness grow. Before he knew it, he was at the very edge of the park.

Lei stopped, and looked around. Suddenly, there was no one to be seen at all.

"Where.. are you..?" Lei harshly muttered to himself. There was a high railing another fifty yards ahead showing what was surely the theme park's border, and it was rather perceptible there were no dents or holes, so Fury obviously was, indeed, still in the theme park. Lei looked down to exhale a huff of frustration as he kicked the ground.

And then took something else into view all too clearly...

Blood.

Lei's eyes widened. This was _not _a good sign...

Though it was darker over here, Lei was still able to make out what was an obvious trail of crimson cerise on the cement in ongoing splotches. The long-haired man let his caramel eyes follow the trail, as his face slowly began to raise up.

The trail stopped at the house of mirrors.


	3. Reflections of the Past

**A/N: **I actually made a somewhat fast update on this. What are the odds?! I was going to update two chapters, but this one is kind of long, so I figured people wouldn't like it if I did. I'll probably come back and update tomorrow, anyway. I'm really trying to finish a lot of these fics before the T5 tsunami hits, LOL. I apologize prior for any spelling errors, etc... with this chapter being longer than some of the others, I was lazy and didn't read over it as much...

**In the Shadows**

Chapter 3: Reflections of the Past

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Lei stood blankly for a few moments, just staring at mirror house before him. However, there was bright yellow tape around it, saying 'under construction, do not enter.'

Fuck it.

Lei was entering.

He took off running forwards in a rushed saunter of hastily taken steps, and when he reached the warning, yellow tape surrounding the mirror house, jumped right over it. Lei then slowed down when reaching the hollowed entrance, once again raising his gun. There were only a few, exact places where Fury could be shot and actually have an effect. The majority of his body was shielded right beneath the skin by a very thin, yet enhanced layer of near to impenetrable metal.

Almost no light whatsoever was present at all within the mirror house's confines. The few lights that were on were neon violet, giving everything a certain glowing effect. In the many mirrors that were abruptly on every side of Lei, he could see the reflection of his dark, purple pants and navy blue shirt shining as if with luminous radiation, his hair also glinting brightly where the light was hitting it.

Wulong stepped further still through what seemed like an endless maze, taking quiet and steady steps.

"Lei..."

Lei heard the whisper of his name, as his breathing involuntarily picked up. The paths before him split three ways at this point. He swore the whisper had come from his right, so right he went.

The steady steps continued down a rather short path, until the detective reached what seemed to be the center of the house. Several more steps, and he was in a large square, bordered by endless mirrors.

Lei heard a dark laugh and turned holding his gun high, then hearing a noise from behind before jumping to turn around again.

"I know you're in here, Fury. Now show yourself, you fucking coward."

"Coward, am I?"

The raven-haired fighter gasped in startle.

Bryan Fury.

But in so many reflections.

Lei made rapid turns as he moved from side to side. The dark laugh was heard still more, and Lei found himself taking an educated guess as his gun fired...

Glass shattered, exploding in every which direction in a spurt of ongoing glass shards.

"Fuck!" Lei exclaimed at the exact same moment he was pulled to the side from behind. Everything happened so fast, as Lei felt himself lose his footing right before crashing to the ground.

His breathing was rapidly taken in spontaneous breaths. He looked up, and could see where his gun had skidded to land only a foot or so in front of him. Lei reached his right-arm forwards, but soon let out a squint of pain when his hand was harshly stepped on.

Lei looked up, facing the man above him beneath the gaps of his cascading raven tendrils.

"Congratulations, Wulong Lei. You found Bryan Fury," the taller man laughed darkly, whipping a large razorblade knife out from inside of the long trench coat he wore. The neon lights in the mirror house showed the blood covering the knife all too clearly in a freak fest of glowing cerise, showing in endless reflections all around.

"If you're going to kill me, just do it... Spare me your fucking shit lecture..." Lei murmured, facing Bryan through one of the mirrors.

"Why Lei, if I wanted you dead, I would have let the glass impale you just then," Bryan casually stated, bending forwards to pick up Lei's fallen gun in hand before tucking it into one of his interior coat pockets. "I could have killed you many times. I've been watching you, my little Lei. Watching you for quite some time."

"You don't think I know that?" Lei remarked. "I elucidated this sick game of yours sometime ago, but I'm not playing it. All these lives, Fury, and yet you still don't have one of your own. You're a lifeless bastard both literally, and figuratively speaking."

Bryan kicked Lei in the stomach, causing the fallen fighter to gag viciously. Specks of blood flew from Lei's mouth upon impact of Fury's ferocious hit.

"You little bitch. Who the fuck do you think you're talking to?"

Lei continued to wince in pain, holding his stomach in a tight grasp as blood drained in a small trail from the corner of his mouth.

"You're so fucking stupid," Bryan said in a loathing manner. "Just like you were all those years ago. Always had to be number one, eh Lei? Always had to have all the _credit_. That's all that matters, right? You were so worried... so worried that I'd take just one piece of that precious limelight of yours. Is that why you saved me, Lei? Saved my life only to demolish it?"

"No..." Lei whispered, pain still in his voice. "You were my partner," he tried to say louder, but then coughed yet again. "It wasn't my fault. How many times will I have to tell you this? The gangs were about to fire at you. They were vital enemies and angry that you had crossed them only to save time in dealing your drugs. I wasn't trying to end your life, Bryan... I was trying to save it..."

"You little shit. If you knew this before it even took place, then why didn't you bother filling me in on it, huh?" Bryan smirked with anger.

"Be-because I was angry... You were my partner on my police force, yet you were dealing drugs, damnit. How was I supposed to react?"

"Answer the fucking question, Wulong," Bryan growled, razing his razorblade higher in the air. "You wanted the credit."

"I—"

"ANSWER ME!"

"Yes! I... I wanted the credit... But I didn't want your death..." Lei murmured, before looking up to face Bryan directly, rather than through the mirror in front of him. "Yet you died, and to this day, you still remain dead to me..."

"But I am not. I may have an engineered heart running this body of mine, but I assure you everything else including my mind is just the same as it was," he spat. "I am quite alive, and feeling better than ever."

"You can't be human without a heart, you sick bastard," Lei growled, knowing he was more than likely asking for his own death at this moment. "Maybe that's why you have no emotions."

"Hate is an emotion," Bryan growled in retort. "Or if you wish, you can look upon me as death itself, for that's what I'm here to give."

"You're sick..." Lei whispered, struggling to raise his body up.

"Don't even think about making one move, or I assure you it will be your last."

"You think I care if I live or die, Fury?"

"No, but I think you'd care about those little friends of yours out there," Bryan snickered, waving his long knife around in a few slicing motions.

"Gods I hate you..." Lei stated in a whisper.

Bryan's grin faded, as he stared down at Lei's form. "Even if I now have no conscious. No emotional feelings. I can still remember what it was like to feel them. It was my thirst for revenge which led me to a life serving the Interpol."

"You wanted to kill..." murmured Lei. "That is not the right reason to become a detective... It is not about ending lives, but saving them..."

"That's where you're wrong, dear Lei. It's about giving people what _they deserve_."

"You slaughter innocent people every day now. What do you think _you deserve _for that?" Lei angrily criticized.

"Maybe a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records?" Fury mockingly spoke, with that same hint of derision a brew. "Unless you want some form of _credit _for it."

"Just kill me already. I'm tired of hearing your sick words."

Bryan laughed in his naturally low voice, lowering his stance to a kneel. Fury grasped Lei at the throat, raising his upper body off of the hard floor until held at face level.

"As I previously spoke, if I wanted you dead, I would've let the glass impale you."

"That's only because you want me to die by your hands..." Lei struggled to emit.

"I would've done that earlier, too."

"Then what are you waiting for?" Lei whispered.

"I wish to stretch your death out over time, just like my own..."

Lei's eyes involuntarily closed as Bryan's lips met his own. Time itself seemed to take a pause, freezing this moment as if it were a gap there to be stilled, and yet extended at the same time. However, the American's tongue soon plunged into Lei's mouth in a rapid motion, and it was this that helped the long-haired fighter to snap back into reality...

He began to struggle with all of his might to end this right now, but Bryan's grasp on his throat was so tightly inflicted that the detective couldn't even aim to attempt in closing his mouth. He could taste the cigarettes, the alcohol.

The blood.

The death.

In just the prime timing, Lei's right-leg shot forwards, knocking Bryan smack dab in the center of his torso. Bryan released Lei as he groaned in reaction to the hit, giving Lei all the opportunity he needed to fully stand. Once accomplishing this, however, Wulong found it wasn't so simple. That one hit Bryan had earlier presented him with was still taking its toll, and Lei could already tell just from the feel of things that his ribs were bruising.

No matter, though. Lei stood, and took off. Thankfully, his memory was still fresh enough to enable his remembrance of the proper way out of this square of reflectional nightmares. Without that remembrance, you would naturally not have a very good chance of picking a right exit out of here on the first try, or even run right into a mirror. That's all there was. Mirrors. One after the other. Everywhere.

Lei turned the first corner and proceeded to speed off, yet something already wasn't quite right here... The paths. They seemed... different than they had been earlier... But how was this possible? Oh well for now... Since staying in one place long enough to even so much as attempt in the configuration of this sudden mystery was not exactly an open option. Without a second ponder on this issue, the Chinese once more took off in a saunter of swift steps. Even a fast-paced jog wasn't open for consideration here. One wrongly taken step, and rather than going right around a mirror, you would go right into one...

The detective continued his quest to hopefully find the right set of paths to lead him out of this horrific place, but once again, it still wasn't so simple. Lei turned one sharp corner after the other, and every new path was, in lamen, a mirror image of the one before.

Wulong hated this place.

"You know Wulong, in most cases, this is where the bad guy always says you can run, but you can't hide..."

Lei jumped, and as before, began turning in rapid motions.

Bryan's reflection appeared just as it had earlier; in numerous and seemingly incessant mirrors.

"But in my case, it's different..." Fury darkly laughed. "You can't hide, but you can't run, either."

For Lei, it was as if Fury was coming at him from every direction. The kick-boxer's reflection began growing in the endless mirrors, which was a definite signal that Fury was heading right for him.

_Focus, Wulong.__ Just focus... _Lei thought to himself, standing still as he gave an exhale of meditation. Without so much as the slightest turn, Lei's left-leg went flying outwards and back slightly, before a groan followed by a loud crash was heard. Bryan didn't hit the wall of mirrors behind him too hard, but it was still rather surprising to him. He'd never expected Lei to be capable of getting in a hit like this in the first place.

Lei's right-fist shot forwards as he turned in a swift movement, which unfortunately enough for the detective, Bryan caught the arm of on the first try. Wulong followed by attempting to deliver a firm punch to Fury's face with his left-fist, but then Bryan used his right-hand to catch Lei's left-arm as well.

Bryan turned, and slammed Lei hard enough against the mirrored wall to cause crack upon crack to surface about the reflecting layer of glass. Lei tried to break free, but Bryan had either of his wrists pinned above his head in a painful and twisting hold.

"Did you seriously think you could escape me?" Bryan smirked in his derisive voice.

"It seems to be you who can't escape thoughts of me."

"You've always been such a smart-alecky bitch," Bryan spat, hearing the glass crack more when he pushed Lei even harder against it.

Lei didn't want to allow Fury the pleasure of seeing the fear in his eyes, yet it was there. Fury was right. If he had wanted to kill him, he would have done so already. Hell, he'd had years. This is what Lei feared. The reasoning behind this motive.

Bryan knew it was time to stop fooling around, and get down to business. He couldn't risk a reoccurrence of what had just happened when Lei managed to get away from him the first time.

Fury lowered his right-hand, able to easily hold both of Lei's arms in place with only one of his. Bryan's grin resurfaced as if it had never left, while his hand ran its way down Lei's left-arm until it reached the side of the detective's face.

"I hate you," Lei whispered.

"Good," Bryan said upon lowering the level of his voice, nearing his lips to Lei's ear, "Say it again."

When Lei felt Fury's lick upon his ear, his knees nearly gave way to the point where it felt like Bryan's hold was the only thing keeping his body at a ninety degree angle.

"Stop it, damnit!" Lei verbally exploded, once again starting to struggle more intensely.

"The memories are coming back now," Bryan continued in a lowered voice. "How everyone just wanted to know you. Everyone wanted to be you. I wanted to have you."

"Stop it!"

"And then it happened, that night following the one where I nearly lost my life for the first time. We took the meaning of being partners to whole new level."

"I said stop it!!!"

"I know why you hate to be reminded of us being partners in the past so much, for this is what you think of, and yet no one but the two of us ever knew."

"Please..." Lei whispered, "I don't want..."

"Don't want to remember?" Bryan finished off. "Though I suppose being so much less of importance myself when compared to you, that would be rather easy, huh?" he sarcastically spoke in a harsh voice. Directly after these words were spoken, Bryan's free arm encircled its way around Lei's waist as the detective was flung down to the ground. Fury followed right there with him.

What was Lei supposed to do, now? Continue to struggle like a worm on a hook? Plead for Fury to kill him? Not kill him? Fuck him? Not fuck him? Did it matter? For no matter what Lei did, Bryan would be amused, and it was this that angered Lei to such levels he couldn't describe.

"I awoke feeling as if my memories from years ago had happened yesterday, you little bitch," Bryan spoke as he held Lei to the floor. "How could I forget anything?"

"I..."

"It still feels like it was just yesterday. All of it. I may no longer be Detective Fury of the International Police Organization or the Hong Kong International Police Force, but that's one thing I can be grateful for. Now it's you who'll be taking orders from me, Wulong Lei," Fury clarified.

"I will do nothing of the such," Lei retorted while looking back into Bryan's icy stare.

"Just like everyone else, I always thought you were so beautiful," Bryan whispered, tracing the side of Lei's face with his hand. "And I still do. You may have continued to age during my absence, but you still manage to captivate me just as before with your elegance. It gives me such a feeling of unrelenting power to know I could crush something so frail using no strength at all."

Lei turned his head to the side, not saying a single word.

Bryan growled, grasping Lei's face just below the chin. "You're going to look at me. Don't you dare look away again." Directly after this order, Bryan's left-had reached downwards to right-hand side of his own, navy pants, before returning to Lei's view holding that damned razorblade knife yet again. "Or else..." the American warned. "Don't think for a fucking second that I won't do it."

Fury elicited another growl of anger at the expression painted across the other fighter's face. It wasn't of fear just yet, but Bryan was determined to make him show it. Holding the blood-covered knife, Bryan's hand lowered inch by inch, until its tip rested against the top of Lei's chest, just above the heart. Bryan could automatically tell Lei's breathing was beginning to pick up, but this still wasn't near enough to satisfy the disreputable Fury. No sooner, the thin material of Lei's shirt began to slice. His flesh along with it...

"Ah..." Lei emanated in pain, yet with the thought in mind that this wasn't even a single flare of the amount of pain Fury could, and more that likely would, cause him before this was over.

"A little cut too much for you?" Fury mused, raising the knife upwards. No sooner later, he ran his tongue along the edge of the blade freshly coated with Lei's crimson blood, obviously loving every moment of it.

"Just stop it," Lei half-demanded following this. "Whatever you're going to do to me, just fucking do it. Just stop teasing me."

Fury placed the long blade on the floor, the long fingers of his left-hand releasing its base before mimicking those of his opposing hand, taking Lei's wrist into grasp. He leaned his body further over Wulong's, pressuring their thighs together. Lei gasped.

"Since you know damn well what I'm going to do to you, I'd say that makes you quite the little whore," Bryan stated in a domineering manner.

"You're sick..." Lei whispered. "And one day, you are going to pay for all the pain you have inflicted upon your victims, no matter who they be. It may not be today, but that day will come. This is veracity."

"Judgment day already came for me," Bryan smirked with his usual grin. "I suppose I was just too much for hell to take. No matter. We are in hell." This was it for Fury. As Lei had said, enough with the talk already. In an abrupt motion, Bryan rapidly tore the navy shirt right from Lei's body. Lei yet again gasped in alarm, his breathing once again taking on a faster pace when Bryan's hand moved to the base of his dark-violet jeans.

"Looks like you're about ready for me to wrap things up by now," Fury guffawed with conniving undertones. "Though I think you were quite some time ago," he added on, his hand then disappearing from view as it slid underneath the material to Lei's jeans. Lei's eyes widened, but the hand was quickly in view again before Bryan quickly snapped the clasp free of the detective's black belt.

Fury then took a slight pause, once again hovering his full form over Lei's as he moved to look Wulong face to face. "As I said, I remember everything just as if it were yesterday. I remember yesterday I loved you," Bryan whispered against Lei's lips, before then forcing him a deep kiss to the mouth right afterwards.

A tear streaked its way down Lei's cheek at the same time, and he soon found himself kissing his worst enemy back...

"Lei?!"

Bryan quickly broke apart from Lei, turning his head to the right.

"Lei, answer me!"

"Fuck..." Bryan growled, before looking back down at the man underneath him. "Soon enough, dear Lei," he darkly whispered under his breath, and next thing Lei knew, Bryan was gone.

Just like that.

Though obviously, Bryan had just appeared to have taken off in tune to the sudden, intruding voice. Lei knew that voice.

The sound of rapid steps began to grow, clarifying that this person was indeed getting closer. No sooner later, the many mirrors were filled with the foreign individual's reflection.

"Jin?" Lei whispered from his spot on the floor.

"My gods..." Jin muttered, on the road to shock.

As Lei began to raise himself from the floor to at least a sitting position, Jin was quick to kneel at the long-haired fighter's side after hurriedly stepping the rest of the way forwards. Lei looked down, and covered his mouth with a hand while facing the floor.

"Lei, what the hell happened in here?" inquired Jin, taking a few things into notice. Broken glass, a broken belt, partially opened pants, and an apparently torn-off shirt already didn't add up to the most pleasant recipe, from the looks of things... Not to mention a blatant slash right across Lei's upper chest.

Lei didn't answer, and continued to remain in his current, petrified state.

Jin raised his hand to Lei's shoulder. "What happened, Lei?"

The detective only shook his head ever so slightly. "N-nothing, Jin... It's nothing..."

"What?" Jin near to exclaimed, grasping Lei by either of his shoulders. "Do you actually think I'm that stupid?"

Lei looked away.

"Look at me, damnit," Jin ordered.

"Maybe I don't WANT to fucking look at you!" Lei snapped, then feeling Jin's grip upon him tighten. "And don't touch me!"

"I agree with Wulong here."

Jin and Lei both turned, to see yet another new visitor.

Hwoarang smirked. "Alright. Five seconds to explain what the HELL is going on, before I start kicking ass."

"Hwoarang, I don't know what's going on here either. Lei won't tell me," Jin replied, looking at the redhead.

At this moment, Lei roughly shook himself free from Jin's grasp as he made his way to stand.

The Korean blinked. "If he came here to jack-off, I seriously don't think this is the best of places."

Jin sighed with a shake of the head at this rather stupid statement, while Lei at this moment just began his walk out of this place. One he now wanted to forget very, very badly.

"Are you sure you're giving me the whole story here, Kazama?" Hwoarang questioned with suspicion.

"I was with you only two minutes ago. I doubt that's enough time to do anything," Jin remarked in annoyance.

"Wait a minute..." Hwoarang stated, taking a closer look at Lei as the detective sauntered further down the aisle of mirrors. "Have you been crying? What the fuck? And is that blood? Shit, and I just thought you were itching to land a beef injection."

Lei shoved himself past the redhead, who scowled as the detective passed.

"I can't believe you just said that," Jin scolded, sounding utterly disgusted.

"Well what the fuck did it look like to you, then?"

"I don't want to say this," Jin began, adverting his gaze to the side before once more looking back into Hwoarang's. "I think Lei was about to be raped when I came in... If he wasn't..."

Hwoarang's jaw near to dropped. "Holy shit..."

"And it must have been whoever he was chasing after. We saw Lei was holding his gun, and from the looks of things, I'm guessing whoever this mystery person was had this whole occurrence premeditated..." Jin stated in a trail, the thought itself very unpleasant. "I also noted Lei no longer had his gun anymore..."

"We better go find the others," Hwoarang sighed, though still in contemplation on this whole ordeal. "They're still looking for Lei."

Jin nodded in agreement. "This isn't turning out to the ideal break to fun, after all..."

"Got that right," agreed Hwoarang, "Though I still can't believe something like this could happen... It's just... weird..."

Jin elicited a long sigh, as both he and Hwoarang turned to make way in exiting the house of mirrors. As the two fighters passed their way through the entrance, someone watched from afar...

"Soon enough..." Bryan Fury smirked. "Soon enough..."


	4. Another Name On the List

**In the Shadows**

Chapter 4: Another Name On the List

-------------------

---

"Alright Wulong, so isn't this technically the time where you should be calling the cops in?" Hwoarang questioned. He and Lei were currently standing on opposite sides of the detective's police car, both leaning their backs on the vehicle's cool exterior.

Lei said nothing, and only continued to stand with his arms folded.

Hwoarang pulled his hands free from either of his jean pockets, turning around to face the other fighter, though Lei was still not facing him. "Oh, so I get it," the redhead stated knowingly, yet mockingly. "You won't talk to anyone but _Kazama_, will you? Alright, I've had enough of this shit. I want you to start talking. There's something going on with you and Kazama,_ isn't_ there?!"

Lei remained silent, seeming complacent; despite all the racket the Korean was now throwing around.

"Didn't think I'd find out,_ did_ you?" Hwoarang angrily mocked, beginning to parade around to the other side of the car where the raven-haired man stood. "That's when you realize but no one can fool this Blood Talon!"

Still more, Lei continued to stand, his closed, long lashes twitching incessantly in the amount of annoyance Hwoarang always managed to present him with.

"That's right, don't say anything until good ol' Kazama gets back, right Wulong? But I'll be right here. Right here the whole time..." Hwoarang sniggered menacingly.

"Grr... Just.. shut.. UP!" Lei exclaimed, turning to face the Tae Kwon Do fighter.

"Ah, so now you speak. I knew it. Afraid I was getting too close, weren't you? See, you're not the only one who's a mystery-solving guy around here," Hwoarang smirked as he looked down at Lei.

"There.. is nothing.. going on.. between me.. and Jin! I am NOT gay!!!" Lei exclaimed at the top of his lungs, "That'd be YOU!"

"Why you little fucker! I know that's a lie... Hehe, I just know it!" Hwoarang mused as his fingers twitched, "But like I said, I'll be watching... I will!"

"_You're_ the one who's up to something with Jin, you disrespectful punk," Lei shot back. "And don't even_ try _to deny it! He's your_ LIFE_ for crying out loud!"

"Jealous I see. Haha, you think you're the smart one, don't cha', but I'm the one who knows the things that you don't, little cop." The redhead grinned as he looked Lei face-to-face.

"What _are_ you two doing?" Jin questioned, as he had walked up on Hwoarang and Lei steaming with anger in each other's faces.

"He's being an asshole!" Hwoarang and Lei then both looked at each other, since they had both exclaimed these words in unison.

Jin only sighed. "I explained to Steve and others that Lei had a case come up, and nothing more. They understand fully, and were able to go back to attempt enjoying this night."

"That's just great then," Hwoarang stated, walking a few steps over to where Jin was standing, "This means Kazama and I can get back to the rides, and Wulong can leave and go investigate crap and so on."

Jin took a brief moment to analyze Hwoarang's words, since they were all being spoken very quickly.

"Thank you, Jin," Lei granted with a faked smile. "You go back and enjoy the rest of the night. I'll be leaving now."

"After what happened, I don't think it's a good idea for you to be wondering the streets alone..." stated Jin in assurance. "I'll come along with you."

"What?!" Hwoarang exclaimed.

Lei shook his head in disagreement. "That won't be necessary."

"See, see?" the Korean protested, looking back at Jin, "He doesn't _want_ you to come."

"I already told the others I was leaving, anyway. I can't stay here and enjoy myself if I'm worrying the whole time, Hwoa," Jin clarified.

"Grr... Fine! I'll come along too, then," Hwoarang grumbled.

Lei's eyes widened in horror. "T-that won't be necessary. I'm just heading back to my hotel."

"The apartment I temporarily rented is located only a block or so away from yours, so why don't you just come stay the night with me?" inquired Jin.

Hwoarang's jaw all but dropped. "What?! You can't be serious! Come on' Kazama the guy's grown up already you don't need to do any of this he can take care of himself let's just let him go already damnit!"

Jin and Lei both froze as they stared at the Korean.

"If Lei's going to your place, then I'm coming too," Hwoarang evilly laughed, "Nothing escapes this Talon!"

"...Are you on cocaine?" Lei questioned the redhead. "Seriously, are you?"

"No I'm not!" retorted Hwoarang. "Shut that mouth of yours you little runt."

"At least intelligent things come out of mine, you little brat," Wulong snapped back.

"Why you..."

"Stop it!" Jin demanded, stepping between the two fighters. "Let's just leave already. I have a bad feeling about something that may be going on in the shadows... And this isn't the place to discuss it."

"Yeah, I have a bad feeling about what may be going on the shadows, too," Hwoarang smirked while looking at the detective.

Lei rolled his eyes while beginning to unlock the door to his police car, while Jin waited to enter on the other side.

"Oh hey wait a minute here!" Hwoarang snapped, "Why are you two riding together?!"

"Uh, hello, I'm the driver," Lei smirked with a sigh.

"And I'd much rather ride in a car by far as opposed to your Harley," replied Jin in honesty. "I also trust Lei's driving skills much more on the contrary..."

"Why? Just because I don't drive like an old man?"

"That's IT! Come HERE!" Lei shouted back.

Jin banged his head against the top of the police car.

-

-------

-

Down a dark and deserted alleyway, Bryan Fury walked between scowls. He was on his way to the Mishima Zaibatsu, which wasn't much further by this point in time.

"That didn't go as planned..." Bryan grunted under his breath. That damned Jin Kazama and his little friends would pay for this in due timing, as well. Fury would see to it.

"Hey, give me all your money right now."

Bryan sighed, turned, and stabbed the man who had just threatened him right through the chest; the tip of his long razorblade visible through the man's back. A pocketknife fell to the ground shortly after.

"You make too much noise," Bryan smirked, then ripping the knife out from the Japanese man's front. The shorter man gagged, his formerly white shirt splotched in cerise crimson as he dropped to the cold cement below. Fury once again turned, but then flashed back around in remembrance of something. "Got a light?" he asked, "I'm about out."

Fury then knelt down, checking the dying man's pockets, until he found what he was looking for. Silver lighter now in hand, Bryan once again fully stood. "Thanks man," he laughed, then turning to continue on his way. Bryan tucked his newly acquired trinket within his right jacket pocket, once again emitting a snicker of the sorts. Sometimes, it was all too easy. Make that every time.

Bryan continued on his walk, already pondering what his next moves were to be following his visit to the Mishima Conglomerate. He already had a feeling he wasn't going to agree with whatever suggestions he was presented with.

Just as the kick-boxer was about to re-place his blood dripping knife in the holder on his right pants leg, he yet again heard another intruding noise. Bryan smirked, yet grinned. Great. Let them come. All the more fun for Fury to rip their worthless bodies into shredded corpses. Fury took no pause, and continued on his steady walk down the alley. Another noise up ahead. Bryan kept walking, excited to greet whoever this was. He already knew they had to be standing around the next corner up ahead, where another set of paths were located in an 'X' configuration.

Bryan's grip around his knife's bloodied handle tightened in its ready to strike at the next corner, the sound of steps heard once again. Taking a final, outstretched step, Bryan lifted his knife as he reached the split. However, when looking right, no one was to be seen.

"Aw, guess they ran off," Bryan mused in disappointment. Just as he was about to turn yet again, a sound was heard from the path that had just appeared to have been empty. Bryan's brows furrowed, as he turned his head to scan the area once again. It was pitch dark, yet Bryan could see everything all too clearly.

Another sound.

It was a scraping sound of some sort.

"What the fuck...?" Bryan whispered to himself. It was like hearing something right in front of you that wasn't even there.

The same sound, though this time it came from behind. In was seemed like a lightning-fast motion, Fury turned and launched a smaller knife he had rapidly pulled from the confines of his coat, sending it flying like a dart.

The sound of a low scream followed this.

"I knew it," Fury growled. "Kazuya sent his Tekkenshu trash to follow me. That shit-head."

"Shit-head, am I?"

Bryan turned completely around, to see none other than the CEO for himself. Kazuya Mishima stood, standing in his long, leather trench coat. He then scraped a long pocket knife he was holding against the nearby brick wall, proving to be the same sound Bryan had earlier heard only a moment ago.

"What is the meaning of this, Kazuya?" Bryan demanded in a spat. "I will not be another piece on your little chess table."

"I am not very pleased with you at the moment," Kazuya smirked, yet with a grin on his face.

"You think I give a damn?" Bryan questioned in annoyance.

"No matter. Despite the fact that you blatantly failed on your last mission, the pictures I have will still do. I suggest you leave Japan at once now."

Bryan took a few steps forwards, until only a couple yards stood between them. "I'm not going anywhere."

"This is your last chance," Kazuya continued in his casual, yet stern tone of voice. "I do not tolerate failure. This is your warning. Next time, it will be your consequence."

"How the fuck dare you try to threaten _me_, Mishima?" Bryan scowled in rage.

"I will not continue this effete conversation any longer," the CEO stated, "In twenty-four hours from now, you better have left."

"How about we just end this right fucking now?" Fury grunted, holding up his long razorblade.

Kazuya's grin heightened in amusement. "Why, we're not quite that far into my little game yet. All the cards have to be in place before I have a full house to throw down."

"What if I don't want to be part of your fucking game, then what?"

"You already are," Kazuya smirked, beginning to turn around.

"I'll let you know it will not be wise of you to turn your back on me, Kazuya," Bryan warned as his muscles tensed.

"And I'll let you know it will be wise of you to turn your back on me before that opportunity fades," Kazuya stated in his stern, yet mocking voice, "Or else I'll show you why."

"The hell with that. Why? I'll show you why!" Bryan yelled, taking a lunge forwards at the standing Mishima.

What happened next happened so fast.

Just as Bryan's knife was about to penetrate Kazuya's flesh right through his right-shoulder blade, Kazuya gave the swiftest turn Fury had ever seen. Kazuya's left-hand grasped Bryan's right-wrist, before Kazuya twisted his arm furiously. As Bryan grunted in the pain he surely wasn't used to enduring, the CEO was able to retrieve the bloodied knife from Bryan's loosened grip upon it, before smashing the blade into several separate pieces right against the adjacent brick wall. As Bryan made his way to throw Kazuya a sure fired punch with his left-arm, Kazuya was able to catch it into grasp prior to this, as well.

With a brief smirk, Kazuya raised his right-leg, and no sooner later sent Bryan flying backwards to skid down the full narrow of the path between the two large buildings.

"Why?" Kazuya asked in his unchanging voice. "I'd say you have your answer now."

Next thing, Kazuya turned, and seemed to practically vanish into the darkness.

As Bryan made his way to stand, he let out of squint of pain in results of the vicious blow to the torso Kazuya had presented him with. Needless to say, Fury was virtually in shock from this... Someone actually able to... overpower _him?_ But that wasn't possible... It couldn't be possible... What the hell was the meaning of this?

"You have made a fool of me, Kazuya," Bryan growled aloud, his anger soaring to the limits. "I'm not leaving Japan until I _kill_ you."


	5. Location Change

**A/N: **Yepa... I know I'm actually updating this fic rather fast. (Which we all know is new for me...) Main reason is that it's already finished, though I beta-read each chapter a couple times before posting it, just to try to watch out for my stupid spelling & grammatical errors that slip by sometimes...

Thank you guys who keep giving me the good reviews so much! (hugs you all) I really appreciate it. 8D

**In the Shadows**

Chapter 5: Location Change

-------------------

---

"I know I haven't really said anything yet, but before we make it to your place, there is a question I must ask of you..."

"What is it?"

"Are you and... Hwoarang... well..."

Jin sighed as he turned away from Lei, who was still driving intently. "I think you know the answer to that, Lei..." Jin remarked to this.

"Oh..." Lei all but replied in a sense, just continuing to drive.

"I can bet this doesn't thrill you very much..." Jin added on, still facing out the window to his left. "I know it doesn't."

"Well... I mean, I still think it would be better if you were with a woman to begin with... Along with the fact that this _is_ Hwoarang we're talking about here..." Lei muttered with a sigh. "But this also _is_ your life."

"I suppose I'm not very good at keeping secrets," Jin said in remarks with the slightest laugh.

"Trust me, Jin. It is not you who has so many secrets..."

"Lei?"

"Hmm?"

"You are going to tell me what really happened to you in the mirror house?" Jin once again pressed the issue.

"I told you, it's nothing... I chased a criminal in there and couldn't see very well with only a few neons, so he was able to get a few hits in on me, that's all," Lei remarked, trying to sound sure of himself.

Jin didn't believe this. "And who was this criminal?"

"No one."

Out of the corner of his eye, Lei could tell Jin was shooting him that pressuring look again, which also had shown annoyance. "You wouldn't know of him. Just some bank-robber I recognized."

"Oh," Jin replied, knowing there wasn't a lot he could really say to this. Still, Lei obviously didn't feel comfortable discussing the subject. "You sure you shouldn't get that cut on your chest looked at?"

"It's not bad," Lei replied with a shake of the head, "I'm more concerned about just putting a shirt back on. I look like an utter idiot walking around shirtless when the temperature's obviously under forty degrees Celsius by now."

"Well, that is true... You do look rather stupid."

"Shut up," Lei partially chuckled, knowing Jin had meant this more along the lines of jokingly.

"This is it," Jin made noticed, as the detective turned left into a parking lot thereafter. "Looks like we just about made it. It looks like rain, soon."

"That's unfortunate for the others still at the theme park," stated Lei.

Jin nodded in response. "It's really not fair, though if it's not too bad, I'm sure they'll still enjoy themselves all the same. Especially Xiaoyu."

"It seems hard to bring her down," Lei agreed, pulling into one of the parking spaces up front. "Jin... I think it would still be best if I just drop you off here. There's no point in me staying, and unfortunately enough, I'm going to have to actually agree with hothead on something. I am an adult, and can take care of myself."

"Will you just stop for one second in thinking it's always your job to protect everybody else? What about yourself?"

"Sometimes, Jin, it is not always about the credit for me... I do not want people to suffer, especially if it's on my behalf..."

"I feel the same way..." Jin murmured.

"Jin, I just..."

"HELLO!"

"Ah!!!" Jin and Lei simultaneously exclaimed, Lei even hitting his head on the roof of the car.

Hwoarang had also given a loud slap to the car window at Lei's right during his exclamation. "Alright, you two have been in there long enough. Out!"

With a long, frustrated sigh, Lei pressed the automatic unlocking button, as he and the Karate fighter exited the authority vehicle shortly afterwards.

"That took you two an awfully long time to get back..." Hwoarang stated with suspicion dripping from his voice.

"Please don't start again, Hwoarang," Jin sighed in an annoyed tone.

"Alright, Hwoarang," Lei began after once again rolling his eyes, "I know about you and Jin, and I have no problems with this, okay? It's what Jin wants that's important, and I respect that."

"What about what I want?" Hwoarang inquired.

"I don't care about what you want," Lei remarked with a smirk.

"You little fucker," Hwoarang snapped back. "I'm going to teach you to show me some respect, because no one backtalks the Blood Talon."

"I think I'll just be leaving now, if that's okay with you?" Lei sarcastically questioned the redhead. "I've got work to do."

"Yeah, and put a shirt on while you're at it. You look like an utter idiot walking around shirtless when the temperature's obviously under forty degrees Celsius by now."

Jin started to chortle, while Lei only sighed yet again.

"Detective? Detective Lei, are you there?"

All three of the standing fighters turned, to face the depths of Lei's police car through its lucid windows.

"It's my radio," Lei stated, hurriedly opening the driver's side door back open. Directly after this, Lei took the small radio from the plated dashboard into grasp. "Wei, this is Detective Lei speaking."

Jin and Hwoarang both continued to stand outside, though listening to Wulong's spoken words intently.

"What? When was this? I see... Do you know who it was? No... Yes, I understand..."

When Lei put the radio back into place, Jin and Hwoarang were, needless to say, rather curious concerning the topic of Lei's sudden alerting.

The long-haired fighter exhaled a deep breath, and turned around as he fully stood.

"Well?" Hwoarang asked in impatience.

"My hotel room was ransacked... And a message was left there for me..."

"What did it say?" inquired Jin in definite interest.

"It said I would die soon..." Lei remarked in a trail.

The Korean and Japanese both blinked, looking somewhat shocked at the same time.

"Alright..." Jin abruptly spoke up. "Now you're _definitely_ not going anywhere tonight."

"Ah damnit..." Hwoarang grumbled. "I wanna retort to this, but I'm not THAT much of an asshole."

"Alright..." Lei sighed, knowing not many wise options were open at this point. "I'll stay, but only until more detectives from my fleet arrive tomorrow. Then, I'm just going to have to get back to work in solving whatever's going on here..."

Jin nodded. "Well, up we go, then. My door's on the second floor."

"I know _exactly_ where your door is, Kazama," Hwoarang sniggered in Lei's direction.

If this was an anime movie, Lei knew this was exactly the prime point to insert a classic sweatdrop next to his head.

Hwoarang sniggered again. "Heh. Heh heh..."

Lei sighed. Make that a _big_ sweatdrop.

"Hey Kazama," Hwoarang began in the same tone of voice as his last comment, "How about you and I take the elevator up, while Lei can take the stairs?"

"Hwoarang..." Lei started in a grunt, "It's only one floor."

"I know, but Jin and I could still use some elevator time," Hwoarang snickered.

"You didn't let me finish," the detective remarked. "This is an apartment complex. There is no elevator, you idiot."

"Damnit," Hwoarang muttered under his breath, despite the fact that he'd been joking about not just taking the stairs in the first place.

"Will you two stop fighting already?" Jin questioned in a voice full of aggravation. "I'm not sure I can take much more of it, especially for a night."

"Oh, well that's easy. You and I can stay in the _bedroom _the whole time and sleep on the _bed_, while Wulong stays on the couch."

"Fine with me," Lei remarked in a nonchalant voice as he reached the top of the stairs.

Jin had been the first to reach the door, removing a small key-card from his pants pocket soon after. Once he had unlocked it, the Karate fighter turned the metal doorknob and held the door open for the other two men to follow.

"And don't worry Wulong," stated Hwoarang as he continued upon his entrance into the living room. "We won't be _too _noisy tonight."

"That's because there will _be_ no noise," Jin smirked, causing Hwoarang to grumble in disappointment.

"Jin, do you have shirt I could borrow for now?" Lei inquired.

"I do, but I don't think they'd fit you, since my muscles are bigger."

Lei looked annoyed.

Hwoarang started laughing. "Yeah that's it. Wulong's a little shrimp."

"I most certainly am _not_," Lei retorted. "You insolate, arrogant twit. And I'm _not_ going to warn you again on the issue of addressing me by my given name."

"Here you go," Jin stated rather randomly, tossing a set of folded shirts in Lei's general direction.

"I don't know about you, Kazama, but I'm starving. I must've ate two loads of cotton candy back there, but it just wasn't enough," the Korean stated.

"That's must've 'eaten'," Lei corrected, slipping what appeared to be a black tank top over his head.

"Ner nun shiba geseki," Hwoarang grunted.

"Ni shi bai chi," the detective smirked in response.

Hwoarang turned to Jin. "I hate Chink talk. What the hell did he just call me?"

"What did you call me?" Lei snapped back.

"Though I understood all of that, I'm not getting involved," Jin sighed yet again.

"Hey, this shirt is a pretty nice fit," Wulong stated, then slipping the button-down shirt on over it, which was also black. "Not my usual choice of attire, though."

"They're Hwoarang's," Jin bluntly stated.

"Ack, get them off then," Lei instantly remarked to this.

Hwoarang gave the same look. "Eww, I don't want Wulong wearing my clothes!"

"I told you **_not_** to call me Wulong!"

"Will you grow up and start acting mature already?" Jin criticized.

"Yeah, hothead," Lei added on.

Jin then turned to the long-haired fighter. "That was directed at you, too."

When Jin turned around, Hwoarang immediately gave Lei the finger and stuck his tongue out while making a rude face.

"Jin, did you see that?" Lei accused, pointing at the redhead.

"Hey, I didn't do anything," Hwoarang said in an abrupt statement to this. "He's making it all up!"

Jin felt a headache coming on, as he rubbed either of his temples in a temporary circular motion. "Let's just eat already. I have plenty of rice, udon, and domburi."

"Well hurry up and fix it then, cause' I'm still starving here."

"I can help you in there if you want, Jin?" Lei inquired in all politeness, "I'm not rude, lazy, and ungrateful like some people are."

"And I'm not shrimpy, bitchy, and prissy like some people are," Hwoarang stated shortly after Lei's previous words.

Jin smirked. "And I'm not immature, annoying, and aggravating like two people are."

"Heh heh, he called you annoying," Hwoarang teased Lei as Jin stepped over to the kitchen area.

"Well he called you immature, you twitful buffoon," Lei remarked back.

Jin was literally about to go crazy.

"Alright, I've had it. If you two don't shut the hell up right now, I'm going to kick both of your asses just to shut you up."

Hwoarang and Lei both stopped.

_Ah... silence... _Jin thought to himself. It was just so wonderful...

"Haha, why don't you speak up, Lei? I'd love to see Jin kick your ass," Hwoarang whispered in a barely audible voice.

"Well the fact that you're whispering shows you're afraid of getting your ass kicked. I, on the other hand, just want to prevent you from driving Jin nuts." Lei also spoke in a whisper.

"Hey, I can still hear you," Jin scolded from the kitchen.

-

-------

-

"What do you want?"

"You're not the only one who doesn't like orders. You already know what I want, and I'm willing to help you in return."

"I don't believe you."

"I'll take care of the target. Just make sure you're there at the time I gave you tomorrow, and we'll both get what we want out of this."

"We'll see about that..."


	6. Out of Sight, Still in Mind

**A/N: **Another crap update from me...! I'll also probably update my Jin/Lei fic pretty soon, too. I had a lot of it done, and then decided I hated three of the chapters, especially six, and needed to redo them. I'll go ahead and finish the fic now, but suppose I should've just stuck to coming up with some random one-shot or something... Being such a hardcore Jin/Hwoarang and Bryan/Lei fan warped my mind to where I started to lose interest in writing that fic faster than I thought I would... I'm also working on my first Gravitation fic. (finally...)

I'm going to go buy some ice-cream... Star Bucks I think. XD;;;

**In the Shadows**

Chapter 6: Out of Sight, Still in Mind

-------------------

---

"Food's done," Lei stated, as Jin gathered a few plates from the upper cabinets. Hwoarang was sitting impatiently at the rectangular dining table, just outside the kitchen's breakfast bar.

"I'm pretty hungry myself by now," said Jin, who began setting the table.

"Well I'm still starving," Hwoarang clarified for what was surely the eighth time.

"You sure proved that point by just sitting here the entire time, rather than helping Jin and I," Lei stated in a smirk.

"Lei, don't start it again," criticized Jin, who was just now sitting down at the table. "Hwoarang didn't say one rude thing to you this time around, so stop begging for it."

"Yeah Wulong. Stop begging for it already. You know you're not gonna get it," the redhead stated in more of a mocking tone.

"Alright Hwoarang, that's enough of the immaturely dirty comments from you," Jin ordered in a fairly stern tone of voice. "All I want is a quiet a dinner and a good night's sleep, and rather either of you two like it or not, I am going to have these things one way or another."

"Now you've gone and done it," Hwoarang muttered in Lei's direction.

Lei chose not to reply, knowing this would only serve to agitate Jin even more. Instead, he just did the sensible thing, and began picking here and there at the various foods scattered about his plate. Once again, he was taking a trip down retrospect lane he'd rather not tread in... His hotel room had been ransacked much earlier in the day, and by whom, the answer was still technically unknown. Lei knew, though... It had to have been Fury...

What if Lei had of been there earlier? If he had of never met with Jin in the coffee shop, and Fury instead came to him in his sleep...? Oh gods... the sheer thought of it was _too_ horrible to comprehend...

"Lei?"

The detective looked up, following the sound of a snap.

"You spacing out again?" Hwoarang inquired from across the rectangular table, "You've been playing with the same grain of rice ever since you sat down."

"I'm still wondering what's really going on here, I suppose you could say..." Lei remarked.

Jin gave a nod at this. "And you're not the only one..."

"Say, why are you using chopsticks?" Hwoarang questioned rather randomly. "I think they're stupid. Why not just use a fork? Might as well eat with the pins you like to hold your hair up with."

"As the Chinese tend to say, steel utensils are for the uncoordinated and weak at mind," Wulong remarked with a smirk.

The redhead returned the smirk. "And chopsticks are either for ancients, or those annoying American tourists who think using chopsticks make them look 'cool'."

"Right about the tourists..." Lei cringed after swallowing some domburi.

"I think I'll just be uncoordinated and weak at mind today, too," said Jin, who sure enough continued eating with a fork.

"Haha, you called Jin weak at mind," Hwoarang said with a slight guffaw, gesturing to Lei who was seated across the table from him.

"Can't you two just eat peacefully?" Jin once again criticized, "I'm really getting tired of repeating myself."

"Sometimes, I don't really know if you act more like Jun or Kazuya..." Lei muttered under his breath.

Jin's glance shot up from his food. It wasn't a pleasant look, either... "What did you just say?"

"Nothing, Jin," Lei sighed.

"No, what did you say?"

Lei flinched, noting the tone in Jin's voice sounded more along the lines of angered. "That wasn't meant offensively."

"How dare you compare me to that man?" Jin flared, his muscles notably tensing.

Lei only rolled his eyes at this. He had enough of his own problems mounting on his conscious.

"When I am talking, one will know it is _not_ wise to look away from me," Jin stated in a stern voice.

The long-haired fighter didn't say anything, and only stood, gathering his still mostly full plate in hand before heading over to the kitchen.

Jin exhaled a long sigh, then running his right-hand back through his spiky hair. He hated being compared to Kazuya. He hated the thought of being anything like him. He hated having the knowledge that he was the son of this man.

"Jin, you okay here? You sure are steaming..." Hwoarang brought up, after tapping Kazama on the shoulder.

"It's just been a long day, I suppose..." Jin replied with another sigh in his low voice. "I have a feeling... Just some feeling that something's terribly wrong here..."

"I'm starting to agree with you..." Hwoarang replied, leaning in as he lowered his voice a bit. "What do you think really happened to Wulong in that mirror house? I mean... What you said earlier... Do you think that really happened?"

"Something tells me if it had really happened, Lei would be much more upset than he is..." Jin whispered in remarks. "But when I got there... He seemed so frightened... I've never seen him like that before..."

"Didn't seem scared when I got there. Just pissed."

"Thanks to you," Jin smirked.

When the two fighters noted Lei was nearing the table once again, they both quickly left the subject which they had been previously discussing.

"I know what you were talking about..." Lei muttered. "I already explained what happened. Just leave it alone... And Jin, is it okay if I use your laptop for a few minutes?"

Jin nodded. "Sure, it's already logged. Go ahead."

As Lei entered the next room through the bedroom's open door, Jin and Hwoarang once again looked back at each other.

"Yep, he's lying, alright," Hwoarang assured with a nod. "I've done it a lot myself, so I can always recognize it."

"I just thought of something else..."

"What?"

Jin looked down at his plate ever so briefly, setting down his fork before once again redirecting his glance to the redhead next to him. "If this person knows where Lei was staying earlier, and knew he was at the theme park, then..."

"Oh shit..." Hwoarang remarked, getting the full picture instantaneously. "Fuck. If someone wants Wulong to bite the dust that bad, that means they'd blow up this entire complex to make him dust. There could be a bomb or something here right now."

Jin shook his head in disagreement. "No... I think Lei would already be dead then... Whoever wants him, wants him alive..."

"That is fucking creepy..." Hwoarang said with a shudder. "Damn, you think some psycho's going to try and break in here tonight?"

"They just may try at that..." Jin stated in all honesties.

"Which means we better be ready to kick some serious ass tonight," the Korean assured with a nod.

Jin only exhaled again. He'd _really_ been counting on actually getting some sleep on this night... But Hwoarang was correct. This wasn't exactly the prime timing for it. If one blink of an eye could catch you off guard, then two blinks could catch you twice as fast...

In the next room, Lei sat rather discontentedly at the desk placed in the bedroom's far corner. In another attempt to push these rather disquieting thoughts from his mind, he had yet again failed miserably. The harder he tried to forget, the more he remembered in turn. After signing onto the internet under his own name rather than Jin's, he knew this was the time to go check his e-mail. Maybe more word on the case had turned up? Or at least something... The internet was always the first place anything ever popped up these days.

Lei was quick to check his inbox. Ah, great... A nice mail explaining that no fingerprints were recovered from his ransacked room, since whoever this was had been wearing gloves, and that they had obviously come in through a window on the outside. Lei sighed. He'd been wondering on that issue... Since there were cameras plated in the hall ceiling. This person had apparently cut the window's glass, before unlocking it by reaching their hand inside. This had Fury written all over it, didn't it? The more Lei thought about it, the more he began to reach the veracity of the situation. He couldn't beat Fury physically. But maybe... Just maybe mentally was a whole other story... Still... Hard to consider this option for someone who doesn't need a second-guess to be classified as clinically insane.

All those years... Wasted years... For what?

Due to his arrogance, Lei had never realized how easy it would be for Fury to kill him at any moment he felt like it... Obviously, there was something else he'd rather do first... Lei shuddered in the spinning chair. There was no way... no way in hell that would ever happen... Yet it almost had... If not for Jin, it would have...

He would have been fucking raped.

"Gods..." Lei murmured, covering his mouth with a hand thereafter. In the back of his mind... No matter how far back, nor how small a portion... did part of him desire this...? It was that part that felt remorse... Remorse for what had happened years ago... Though the shoot-out in that Hong Kong alleyway was started unintentionally, he had, in fact, started it... Lei had wanted to believe this wasn't Bryan Fury. That this wasn't the same man who had been his partner... That it was just some... some thing in his body...

Nope.

That was still Bryan, alright...

Only heartless...

Lei saw the sudden, 'incoming message' blinking alert on the screen before him. His brows furrowed following. Who could this be? Though it was probably one of his colleagues. Of course. Who else would it be? Funny how they'd know he was online at this exact moment, though...

Wulong accepted the message nonetheless.

It read:

_I am watching you right now. You are to meet me in the nearby Central Square Park in exactly one hour. Don't tell Jin or Hwoarang, or I assure you they will suffer for it. They will suffer if you choose not to meet me here. You will suffer if you choose not to meet me here. _

_See you soon..._

Lei's jaw literally dropped, as his expression painted over in more of a pale, shocked appearance.

This day just kept getting worse and worse...

Then the detective was struck by another realization, and next thing, he was hurriedly out of the computer chair and at the large window to peek through open blinds.

Whoever this was, was watching him right now.

Just great. Just fucking great. It was Fury, wasn't it?

"Read my lips..." Lei harshly whispered. "You will not harm my friends."

"What are you doing?"

Lei jumped slightly, before turning. "Oh, Jin. N-nothing."

"You sure are stuttering a lot lately..." clarified Jin, who then took a few more steps into the bedroom. "I'm not stupid, Lei... And the fact that you keep talking to me like I am is something I'm surely not fond of."

"Do you want to die, Jin?" Lei whispered, side-glancing to the window yet again.

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"I meant exactly what I said," the detective replied, making sure his words sounded sincere. "Do you?"

"But why, Lei?" inquired Jin, who was still refusing to give up just yet. "Why can't you just tell me what's going on here?"

"Because you'll die if I do..."

"I'm not afraid," Jin assured in a stern tone of voice. "I do not lose."

"This is no time for arrogance," the other fighter retorted. "It's just like you said. There's something very wrong here... But only I can fix it."

Jin just continued to stand without movement, surely appearing confused overall.

"Eh, I agree with Kazama here," Hwoarang stated, obviously revealing that he had indeed been listening to the entire conversation right outside the door. "If I'm going to be faced here tonight with psychos who are probably gonna wanna kick my ass at your consent, then I'd sure as hell like to know why."

"I assure you, neither of you will be attacked," Lei remarked at this.

"I noticed you left yourself out of that," Jin spoke directly following this. "And just how do you know that?"

"I made a mistake in my past," Lei suddenly admitted, stepping forwards more into the light. "But that's just it. It's my mistake, and my past. I tried to forget about that mistake I made over the years, but I now know I can't anymore, and I have to do something about it or people are going to continue dying. I can't bear this any longer... It's too painful..."

Jin and Hwoarang both stood blankly; neither of them knowing exactly what to speak in remarks to this statement.

"What exactly _is _this mistake that you made?" Hwoarang asked shortly later, not caring about the issue that he was treading into someone else's personal business.

Lei exhaled a long sigh, looking down at the carpeted floor. "I... got someone killed... And now someone wants revenge against me because of it..."

"Killed someone... you?" Hwoarang questioned, sounding perplexed. "It was a bad guy then, right?"

Lei's eyes closed, before he spoke the next few words. "It was my partner..."

Jin and Hwoarang stood blankly yet again, both with shocked appearances on their faces.

"Could you two please leave me alone for a few minutes?" Lei silently requested. "I just need some time to think..."

The other two fighters both gave a nod or two, before turning around to once again exit the bedroom.

"Holy shit..." Hwoarang muttered, as Jin shut the bedroom door behind him. "Why do you suppose Lei would kill his own partner?"

"Maybe he didn't necessarily mean he killed his partner, rather that he got them killed as he said," Jin added on. "I just can't see Lei doing something like that..."

"Everyone gets mad sometimes, Jin. Anger can make you do things you don't mean to do," the redhead replied.

"That look..." Jin said in a lower voice, as he and Hwoarang took a seat on the small couch, "I've seen that look before... It's the same kind of look Lei always gets when we discuss my mother... Whoever died, he obviously cared for..."

"I'm actually starting to feel sorry for the guy... A little... As in not very much, of course," Hwoarang quickly followed up. "He's still an asshetic cop, after all."

Jin rolled his eyes. "You don't honestly still think there's something going on between us?"

Hwoarang then sighed himself. "Okay fine, I guess not. I just... you know, want you all to myself... Get kinda jealous and stuff here and there sometimes..."

"Hwoarang?"

"Yeah?"

Jin chuckled slightly, "You don't have anything to worry about. I care for you too much to ever want to hurt you in such a way."

"Yeah yeah yeah... Get all mushy on me right when Wulong's in the bedroom," Hwoarang huffed, though more playfully.

"Hey, we still have the couch right now?" Jin said with a grin.

"Uh oh... you're setting up the cop for voyeurism now," the Korean laughed ever so slightly.

"I'm sure he won't mind if I just do... this," Kazama assured, right as he leaned in towards Hwoarang, who was already doing exactly the same. Their lips were quick to meet afterwards, as Jin brought up his right-hand to the side of Hwoarang's face. Long fingers raked through vibrant strands of soft red hair, while Hwoarang gripped the back of Jin's neck to pull him in harder, deepening the kiss. This didn't last long, however, for the two quickly broke apart when hearing a strange noise come from the next room...

"Jin, what was that?" inquired Hwoarang, with eyes fixated on the bedroom's shut door.

The Karate fighter was already out of his seat as he quickly sauntered to the closed door which separated the two adjacent rooms. He was quick to open it thereafter.

"Lei?" Jin questioned upon his first step into the dark room. He soon flicked the light on, only to see no Lei whatsoever...

Hwoarang was at Jin's side soon enough, and was then taking the same full picture into view as Kazama. "Oh... shit..."


	7. The Concealed is Revealed

**A/N: **Four days until moving... I can't believe I'm leaving to start back to school again in less than one week now. Time sure does fly...

ChibiShiva: Wow, you're almost always the first to review my updates! XD Thanks, hun! And regarding Hwoarang... I actually don't think he is serious a lot in this fic. (laughs stupidly again)

**In the Shadows**

Chapter 7: The Concealed is Revealed

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---

"I have a horrible feeling about his..." Lei murmured to himself while walking down the lamp-lit sidewalk, debating back and forth. He already knew he was walking right into a trap... You'd have to be an idiot not to know... But he didn't have a choice. He could no longer just sit back and watch people die any longer... This was the reason Bryan hadn't killed him yet. He had found such better ways to make him suffer...

Lei hated him for this.

For everything...

Upon reaching the rather large park he had been so rudely ordered to appear at, it hit Lei that no specific location within the park's premises had been given. He sighed. Watch him walk around in here for hours just to be made a fool of... as always... Or be shot. Or molested. Gods know what. This is Fury he was talking about here...

A good ten minutes passed, and Lei shivered slightly. It was starting to get quite chilly out here, though thankfully, it wasn't pouring down rain anymore. Only drizzling. As the Chinese reached the largest fountain in the park's center, he sighed again. Worrying again. He stared down at his reflection in the translucent water, wondering how he had let his life move into a downhill spiral so rapidly...

Another reflection.

Lei turned around on the spot, only to see no one.

"I've lost it," Lei smirked to himself. "That's all there is too it. I've lost it."

"Well maybe I can help you get back what you've lost."

Lei turned around yet again, only to see someone seated on the bench directly before him.

His eyes shot wide open.

"Lee Chaolan?! What the?"

Lee laughed before flicking his burnt out cigarette to the ground. "Who were you expecting? The muffin man?"

"Not you," Wulong remarked in observable annoyance.

"Well that's obvious," Chaolan smirked.

"Alright," Lei began, narrowing his eyes, "I want to know what the _hell _this all about right.. now.."

"It's about getting your life back. That's what you want, right?" Lee asked with folded arms. That grin still on his pale and so perfectly proportioned face. It was that grin that unmistakably said 'I know something', without vocalization of the actual words being necessary.

"The threatening message on the laptop, and the person spying on me. That was _you?_" Lei questioned in a mixture of confusion and disbelief.

The silver-haired man stood up from his seat on the metal bench, giving a nod. His expression was serious, yet mocking all the same. "I know about you and Bryan Fury. I know about your past with him. I know about your hidden affairs with him. I know much, much more..."

Lei felt as if his jaw was going to drop and hit the floor. The confusion consumed his entire form in the revelation of Lee Chaolan's previous words. How.. did.. he.. know?

"How—"

"How do I know?" Lee finished first. "Walk with me."

Lei nodded, not knowing what else to do in this case. He was quick to follow Chaolan's lead as they began walking down one of the many park paths.

"You've been wondering who's been pedaling the newly arisen mafia around town, haven't you?" Lee asked, already knowing the answer was 'yes'. Chaolan found it intriguing to finally be rolling the dice in another one his games. Lei was the perfect piece for the board.

"It is Kazuya then, isn't it?"

"Surprised?" Lee questioned, half sarcastically. "Now that Kazuya's taken over the entire Mishima Conglomerate, he's hungry for bigger game, indeed. Expansion is essential in his eyes, yet sometimes the competition's just there. We all know how our dear Mishima feels about not getting his way..."

"I knew it was him," Lei smirked at this. "What I want to know is why you're telling me this? Why you're doing any of this? This is not like you..."

"Remember two days ago, when you came to the Zaibatsu to question Kazuya about the mafia?"

Lei nodded.

"You had thought Kazuya and I didn't know you caught us in the act before..."

Wulong blushed, and let out a slight gasp at this.

Lee only smirked in response, sounding amused still more. "Looks like you caught Kazuya Mishima tongue-fucking his adopted brother. That would get you on the headlines, alright, wouldn't it now?"

"You're sick," Lei remarked, indeed his facial expression showing just how much he was sickened by this. "You should be disgusted with yourself."

"Oh? You mean just like you should be for nearly getting fucked like a slut in a reflectional whore house?" Chaolan grinned, almost... evilly...

Lei was really starting to get tired of gasping here. "I... What..."

"You were right, Lei Wulong. Indeed Bryan's become another one of Kazuya's famous hands to play..."

Wulong turned in anger, and quickly grasped Lee at the collar of his long trench coat. "I'm going to make sure you pay for this, Lee. All of you. I don't know what the hell you think you're all trying to pull here, but you're all a bunch of sick lunatics."

Chaolan only sighed. "I'm in no mood for fighting at the moment. That's not what I came here to see you for."

"Then why did you?"

Lee grasped either of Lei's wrists in hands, quickly shoving them away from his coat collar with a smirk. "Let's just say Kazuya is to me, as Fury is to you. To be frank, I'm sick of being Kazuya's personal little bitch, and I want out. I never wanted this. _Never._ But when Kazuya wants something... Hell, he's going to get it... I learned that years and years ago... I'm asking for your help, Lei. Kazuya needs to be shut down for good if either of us are going to get our lives back anytime soon."

The taller man soon opened his coat, and from the inside removed what appeared to be an envelope. He held it out to Lei with a gloved-hand.

"What's in that?" Lei asked as he looked up at the other fighter.

"See for yourself."

Though a little uneasy, Lei went ahead and took the single envelope from the silver-haired man. With the slightest sense of trepidation, he opened it soon after. What he then removed from its confines obviously appeared to be photographs.

Lei abruptly felt like he was going to be sick.

Very sick.

"Like the pictures?" Lee smirked, that knowing grin still on his face. "I especially love the one of you and Fury making-out on the floor after he's sliced you and ripped your shirt off."

"You fucking asshole," Wulong growled. "What the fuck is the meaning of this?"

"Tsk tsk, language," Lee scolded in his mocking voice. "Once again, this isn't my fault. I'm actually telling the truth when I say I have nothing to do with this. Kazuya set up that little incident in the mirror house earlier. His Tekkenshu have been following you around for two days now. They're everywhere left and right, go figure," Lee sighed. "But indeed... Kazuya's got blackmail in mind for you..."

Lei suddenly looked horrified.

"That's what I thought you'd think," Chaolan once again smirked. "I can see the headlines now... '_Serial Killer Bryan Fury fucks Former Partner Detective Lei Wulong... Again!'_ So many pieces of the puzzle will fit into place so perfectly, that the missing ones won't matter. You'll be exposed. You'll lose your job, your home, and your honour. You'll lose your life as you know it. And actually if I'm not mistaken, execution is even a possibility in your homeland..."

Remarkably, Lei looked even _more_ horrified than he had a few seconds earlier... Lee was absolutely correct...

"Like I said, I can help you, though," Lee stated, sounding serious this time around. "If you promise to help me..."

The detective was less than enthusiastic. "Even if you could help me, why would you?"

"As I said, I want to be Kazuya's bitch just as much as you want to be Fury's," Lee remarked. "Now, Kazuya obviously doesn't want his own little affair in the papers, either. He knows it'd ruin him for sure. Hell, it'd ruin me, also. I'm being honest when I say I'm just another one of Kazuya's cards... I have nothing to do with his mafia, the assassinations, nor anything else... And I, like you, want it all stopped. I've wanted Kazuya behind bars for a long time... I've wanted him to stop torturing me for a long time... I too know what it's like, Lei. What it's like to be tortured like this. Kazuya and Bryan have quite a bit in common, just like you and I."

"Hmp..." Lei replied simply, his own opinion on the statement varying. "The first part may be true, but you and I are nothing alike."

"Conceded, proud, naïve, and both rather... androgynous in our own ways."

"Very funny..." Lei remarked in reference to the last part of Lee's spoken sentence. "Still, I don't like to see people suffer at my hands like you... Nor am I consumed by greed or a thirst for revenge and power. The Mishima Zaibatsu is all that you truly desire. You know this..."

"When people let you down, money won't, Lei," Lee guaranteed. "Remember that. Just because some people learn this from the start, it does not make them entirely greedy." Though Chaolan's opinions were authentically put into words, he still knew Lei was correct, anyhow. He, in fact, did love money over people. "Yes, you're right, I do want the Mishima Zaibatsu, but you want to keep your honour just as badly, quite frankly. So, here's the deal. You help me get Kazuya behind bars for his mafia activities and hired assassinations, and I'll make sure every little speck of evidence proving anything ever happened between you and Fury is destroyed. The pictures, the recordings, the videos, everything. I'm sure I precisely remember you giving away your own past in those tapes... There's no way you could cover for that..." Lee snickered. "I get my way, and you shall get yours. Partially, that is."

Lei only stood for a brief moment. He didn't exactly know how to respond to this...

"You know it's the only way..." Lee lead on.

"Fine..." Lei murmured in response. "You have my word..."

"I knew you'd comply... Now, let's get down to business then, shall we? Kazuya departed less than forty-five minutes ago by helicopter to an urgent meeting in Wakayama. He'll be gone until mid-afternoon tomorrow. I've been left in charge of the Zaibatsu until his return. At precisely nine in the morning on this day, you will arrive there to question me about matters concerning your case on the alleged mafia, and question a few others there while you're at it just for show. When you leave, you'll have the information you need to put Kazuya in jail, and the information to put you there will be no more."

"How can I trust you?" Lei questioned, still in a whisper. Needless to say, he was still not very enthusiastic, nor happy about this whole situation. Any of it...

"Because you know I want the Mishima Zaibatsu all for myself that badly, and that this is all I care about. I could give a damn less about fucking up your life. That's the difference between Kazuya and I. I'm too concerned with my own life to worry about medaling in anyone else's."

Lei only gave a slight nod, not exactly knowing what else to do.

"Well in that case," Chaolan continued, beginning to turn around, "I'd say our business is finished for now. See you in a few."

"Wait, Lee..." the detective spoke in a bit louder tone of voice, turning his glance up to better view the receding man. "What about Fury?"

"Oh, him again." Lee's grin remained persistent, though he then let out a sigh of the sorts. "Let's just say Kazuya and he are not on good terms as of late. I feel you will no longer have to worry about Fury soon enough..."

"W-what?" Lei inquired, sounding fairly startled.

"I'm truly not the one to be asking, but, I'm late for a meeting here as it is, and I mustn't keep my clients waiting. I will advise you, Lei Wulong, that keeping your little mouth shut and letting things unfold for themselves is a much better alternative to going out of your way to do the unfolding. Especially when you very well may unfold your own death in the process."

"Bryan could kill you in a heartbeat, you know," Lei remarked, as the silver-hared man's back once again turned.

"Kazuya could kill you faster," Lee replied, imitating Wulong's previous tone of voice, yet a bit more... mysterious. Lee Chaolan truly had a voice like no other.

As the Silver Devil began to disappear into the darkness of night, Lei just continued to stand, almost motionless even.

This situation in its entirety was horrible, indeed...

-

-------

-

"So let's see, how am I going to explain this? Oh, right. 'Jin, Hwoarang, I needed some fresh air, so I decided to jump out of your bedroom window and go for a walk'." Lei sighed.

How _ridiculous_ did that sound?

"They'll never believe that..."

He continued to make his way up the complex stairs once again, still knowing there honestly wasn't much he could say. Soon enough, he reached Jin's door, and soon enough, he sighed again. He extended his right-fist to give the wood's surface a mediocre level knock, already knowing he was bound for more than just a few annoying pep-talks...

"Alright, so yes, the meeting was urgent, and I didn't have time to take the door..." Lei muttered in practice.

"You're right; Jin and Hwoarang aren't going to believe that."

Lei jumped, and even emitted a rather startled noise as he turned around with either of his hands raised proficiently.

"J-Jin?" Lei stammered.

Jin nodded with a smirk. "Nice night for a stroll in the park, huh, Lei?"

Shit...

"You followed me?" Lei accused, sounding half-angered.

"You're damn right we did," Hwoarang snapped out.

Lei, of course, still appeared less than thrilled at the two fighters. "I can't believe you two!"

"Well you better be happy," Jin smirked in response to this. "Hwoarang and I spotted a couple Tekkenshu keeping an eye on you, but after our little conference with them, I do not believe they will be following you anymore. Do you know how dangerous this was of you to do? And foolish, for that matter?"

"Now you are starting to sound like Jun..." Lei muttered with folded arms.

Jin only sighed. "We'll continue this once inside. I still don't feel it's safe for us to just be standing out here in the open." After stating this, it wasn't much longer before Jin had unlocked the front door, and the three discontented fighters were once again inside the apartment's living room.

Immediately, Lei began making his way to the next room, before feeling Jin's abrupt grip on his arm.

"Not so fast there," Jin smirked, noting Lei was obviously more than eager _not_ to be questioned right away. "Now then, what were you doing jumping out of windows, before walking off to dangerous parks in the middle of the night to meet with Lee Chaolan of all people?"

Lei knew it was impossible to let one bean go, without spilling them all. Therefore, he gave the only answer he could. "None of your damn business, how about that?"

Jin and Hwoarang both looked very, very annoyed.

Wrong answer.

"Until you answer, I'm just going to go on believing my first assumption," Hwoarang stated with either of his arms folded. "You're getting laid by Chaolan."

Lei's expressional appearance that resulted from this allegation seemed to bear sarcastic amusement, yet shock that one would even aim to suggest this at the same time.

"Right, Hwoarang..." Lei replied in a voice that matched his expression.

"Uh... you _are_ kidding about this, right?" Jin protested, really hoping this was a joke.

"Just believe whatever you want," Wulong remarked, "I'm not telling either of you anything because it is not your business, and that's that."

"Fine, then," Jin grunted in response. "I'll just have you know my uncle is not one to play one of his own games without winning. He'll fuck you over in a heartbeat if he can help himself out in any way by doing it. No matter what it is he told you, you can bet it's nothing but lies."

Lei knew you couldn't lie those photographs Chaolan had brought for show and tell, and for the moment, that was his only concern...

"Jin, Hwoarang, this has something to do with a case I'm investigating, and any information I have is confidential. Now once again, that's that. So, with that out of the way, I'd like to get some sleep before my appointment tomorrow."

"Appointment?" Hwoarang inquired.

The detective nodded. "I have a meeting to discuss this case, so yes, this is still confidential."

Hwoarang was about to speak to this, before Jin put his hand on the redhead's shoulder to catch his attention first. "Let's just get to sleep ourselves now. It's obvious you and I aren't trustworthy."

"Got that right," the Korean muttered as he and Jin departed to head to bed.

Once the two twenty-one year olds had entered the neighbouring bedroom and shut the door, Lei fell backwards to land sitting on the couch with a hand on his face.

That had been way too close...

Thankfully, neither of the fighters had heard anything... That was a definite relief, indeed...

Still, Jin and Hwoarang were obviously not very happy with Lei at the moment. He couldn't blame them, though. If there's one thing that can really get on one's nerves, it's wanting to know the answers to something, having the answers right in front of you, but still not being able to solve the mystery. He sure knew that was big peeve for him.

Lei was quick to set the alarm on his watch. He at least needed to try to get some sleep in, especially since he already had less than six hours to sleep at most as it was before he'd have to wake up to go meet with Lee at the Zaibatsu.

Part of Lei had actually been quite glad that this had turned out to at least not be Fury who had ordered his presence in the park earlier... But now what was this about Lee saying he may not have to worry about Fury soon enough?

Only time would tell...


	8. Perception of Deception

**A/N: **Whoo-hoo; back in school... It's actually not so bad so far, though one of my classes is extremely unenjoyable, and I'm sure my written communications professor could be classified as clinically insane. And maybe my 2D Design instructor, too, lol.

I'm glad you're back, Chlover! :D Hopefully, I won't disappear, now... The work's mounting already... I already miss writing my messed-up fanfiction – drawing household appliances and watching the same dvds over and over again just doesn't cut it.

**In the Shadows**

Chapter 8: Perception of Deception

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"YAH!"

Right as this was shouted by an intruding voice so suddenly, Lei shot up and flailed his arms.

Hwoarang began laughing hysterically, and then threw the pillow he had just hit Lei on the head with square in the detective's face. "Rise and shine sleeping beauty."

"Hwoarang!" Lei exclaimed, "I'm going to get you for that!"

Jin rolled his eyes as he departed from the bedroom, to see what appeared to be Hwoarang and Lei having a patent pillow fight.

"Welcome to my life," Jin sighed with a slight shake of the head in the process of making his way to the kitchen.

"You woke me up before my alarm went off!" Lei shouted, before hitting Hwoarang in face with his pillow. "_No one_ disturbs my sleep!"

"Then go sleep outside in the streets, and you wouldn't have to worry about it!" the redhead shouted back before he then hit Lei in the face with a pillow as he forcefully swung it. "Then maybe you'll be run over, and do us all a favour!"

"Knock it off you two, you're going to break something," Jin scolded from the kitchen.

"Yeah, knock it off, Wulong," Hwoarang smirked.

"Ugh! You're lucky I don't have my gun..."

"Speaking of which, why don't you have your gun?" inquired Jin in the process of cabinet rummaging.

Lei sighed in remembrance of just how he'd lost it... "It was lost in the mirror house."

"Dare we try crossing that subject again?" Jin sighed, raking through the cereal cabinets.

"No, that's alright," Lei remarked in a tone of voice bearing the same sarcasm as Jin's previously had. He then looked down as his watch alarm went off, pressing a small button to silence the incessant beeping. "Anyhow, I need to get going."

"More top-secret super-cop stuff?" Hwoarang laughed following. "Hurry up then. Wouldn't wanna be late to pre-school. The teacher might set you in the quiet corner."

"I'm guessing you'd know that last part from experience," Lei smirked while putting his shoes back on.

"Actually, I would," Hwoarang grunted. "You got a problem with that?"

"No, I'm just surprised you actually made it that far in school."

Jin sighed. Again. "You know, I remember my mother would always tell me you picked on the person you secretly liked the most..."

Hwoarang and Lei both shut up.

"Well, I'm leaving," the detective stated directly after tying the band back into his long, raven strands of hair. "You're right about one thing, hothead. Being late at my job is _not_ an option." He was about to say 'get a job and you may actually know that', but then he remembered Jin's statement and only rolled his eyes again instead. "See you guys later." _I hope..._

After Lei had departed, Hwoarang looked back at where Jin was pouring his milk into the cereal bowl to join the Frosted Flakes. "You don't actually believe he's really going to a case meeting?"

Jin sighed. Yet again. "Of course I don't..."

-

-------

-

As Lei pulled his police car into the Mishima Zaibatsu's leveled parking lot, he started to feel a little nervous about this whole situation... Not that he already wasn't to begin with, but that's just the way things were. No matter how bad they were, they could always get worse.

In the ten minute gap it took Lei to find a parking spot, before walking all the way to the front offices, he spent the entire time contemplating the mysteries that had yet to unfold. Or rather, trying to unfold them. This brought back recent memories what Lee Chaolan had told him much earlier that morning... On how unfolding the mysteries could quite possibly unfold his own death. Lei couldn't help it. That was his job.

"May I help you, sir?" a young, female secretary asked at the front desk.

"Yes, I have an appointment with Dono Lee regarding a case I'm investigating."

The Japanese woman nodded. "Oh yes, I remember you from the other day. Dono Lee has been expecting you. You can meet him in the lunch room right now, actually. Go to floor eight, and you shouldn't miss it."

"Domo," Lei replied, before heading for one of the many elevators placed further back.

Gods how he hated this place.

It brought back all those disquieting memories from the second Tekken tournament. Memories of he and Jun coming here together. Lei had never made it this far that final night of the tournament... The Mishima Zaibatsu was where those final matches so long ago had been held... Yet someone else had made it this far. Jun had. And it didn't take a genius to guess what had happened between her and Kazuya in this very building...

Yes, Lei hated this place.

And it was so very red... Near to every inch of the carpet was for sure.

The elevator doors parted on the eighth floor, as Lei took his leave and stepped out into the large hall. Thankfully, the small cafeteria appeared to be right in front of him, so he wouldn't have to spend one hell of a long time searching this vastly large facility.

When Lei came to the translucent double doors, he was first met off by a set of tall, buff security guards dressed in your classic black business suits.

"Not so fast there," the one standing to Lei's right spoke. "Is Dono Lee expecting you?"

"Yes, he is," Lee Chaolan himself answered, appearing behind the glass.

The guards straightened up upon Lee's appearance, as Lei fought the urge to emit a sarcastic chuckle for some reason. Lee already had this whole damn city wrapped around his little porcelain finger, didn't he?

As one of the guards opened the door, Wulong nodded his thank you before stepping inside to join Lee.

"Ah, right on time, I see," Lee stated, holding his gloved hands together behind his back while walking across the large area. "I like that in a person. Being late is clearly unacceptable, while being early makes you seem so... desperate, wouldn't you say?"

"What are we doing here?" Lei asked, as he and Chaolan reached one of several rather lavish booths neighbouring the zaibatsu's large exterior windows.

"I thought we could chat over lunch. It gives us more of that old business appearance," stated the silver-haired man, who then took a seat. A woman dressed in classic secretary attire placed two crystalline glasses of wine in front of the two fighters shortly afterwards.

Lei only sighed with a nod, before then taking a seat across from Lee. "So may I ask you something?"

"That depends on what it is," Chaolan remarked, "But, go ahead, and I'll be the judge of if it is or isn't appropriate."

Lei already couldn't stand this guy... Not that he could even during the second tournament though, either. "What did you mean last night... when you said I may not have to worry about Fury anymore soon enough?"

"Surely you aren't that slow at thought," Lee remarked, taking another sip from his wineglass. "There's no such thing as being on Kazuya's naughty list and living to get off of it."

"Right..." Lei replied, also taking a sip of the red wine before looking out the window to his right. "If either of you think you can just put a price on Fury's execution, you've got another thing coming."

"I never said Kazuya did." Lee grinned.

"Listen Lee," the long-haired fighter began in a stern voice, setting his wineglass down on the table, "I will not be made a puppet, and I do not like that tone of voice you keep speaking to me in."

"You will learn, Lei-san, that sometimes those puppet strings are the only things holding you from falling right to your infinite death."

"I don't have to learn anything," Lei retorted to this. "I just want to get this over with so I have to spend the least amount of time in your presence and this terrible place as possible."

"Ah, food's here," Lee stated rather offhandedly, "I just love fugu-sashi. At the high price of it, one should. Yet, I suppose it's not high in my eyes."

"Great. Now how do I know this isn't poisoned?" Lei asked with a flustered sigh. "Remember what they always say: I want to eat fugu, but I don't want to die..."

"You'll just have to take my word on it," Chaolan remarked with a shrug. "Trust me; I would've poisoned the wine first."

Lei suddenly went pale, when he realized he'd already partook of the wine.

Chaolan elicited a slight laugh. "I'm being honest here. Nothing's poisoned, and the fugu chefs are as skilled as they come. Besides, I still need your help, so I can't kill you... yet..."

"Charmed," Lei remarked, beginning to go ahead with eating the gourmet food. He couldn't lie that it looked rather delicious at that, and normally, he wouldn't have this kind of money to throw around if it had been coming from his pockets.

"So tell me, detective," Chaolan began between bites of food. "How can you hate a glorious place such as this?"

"Bad memories," Lei replied, simply enough. "That's one thing money can't yield."

"I suppose never having experienced the joys of a no-limit platinum card, you wouldn't love money the way I do. After all, not being able to get what we want instead yields to twisting our thoughts to rather be made into disdaining what we want," stated the Silver Devil.

Lei sighed. He understood this perfectly. Not having what you want can make you hate it and those who do have it just to make it seem less desirable, so you yourself won't feel as bad about not having it. This was, at many times, the same case with people rather than objects... "Still, I have never once had the desire to be rich."

"I know. Better not to waste your time dreaming about the impossible," Lee assured in remarks.

"Actually, I wouldn't agree with that. We're making more impossible things possible everyday."

"Point," Lee responded with a smile. "So, I gather you didn't tell Jin and Hwoarang you were meeting me here?"

"Of course not."

"Good. I was afraid you'd have trouble with them, being followed and all."

Lei's brows furrowed at this. "You knew?"

"I'm surprised you didn't. Just because someone's not right behind you, it doesn't mean they're not watching you," clarified Lee.

"Jin and Hwoarang are obviously not very happy with me at the moment, though..." Lei said with a sigh. "I don't like having to lie to people."

"I suppose that's just a trait of your character. Thankfully, it's not one of mine," the silver-haired man remarked.

"So what exactly are we supposed to do after we finish eating in here?" questioned Lei, once again sounding impatient.

"Just go to the ol' CEO office on the very top floor. You'll just have to stay for a little while, you know, make it look like you're actually questioning me about the Kazuya and mafia and so on," assured Lee in response. "Your little recordings and photos are also up there, so I'm sure you'll be wanting those back."

Lei nodded, looking slightly embarrassed regarding this issue yet again.

Even having one other person who knew his biggest secret was horrible enough. The fact that it was Lee Chaolan was twice as horrible, and the fact that Kazuya knew as well, hell, three times as horrible.

A little later, the two elegant fighters were once again heading back to the elevators. Lei began to get a rather uncanny feeling when he noted the way the guards were looking at him... That classic 'don't you even think about it' look... If it was 'don't even think about trying to pull a knife out on our almighty master Chaolan', then this was okay, because Lei of course wasn't going to do this. If it was 'don't even think about escaping', then yes, he needed to feel uncanny about it...

"Well, up we go," stated Lee as the elevator doors closed.

Lei didn't say anything, and only let out yet another exasperated sigh of the sorts while leaning against the elevator's red interior.

"You sure are sounding pessimistic," Chaolan said with an alongside chortle.

Lei nodded with a shrug. "I'm actually usually the opposite and quite the optimist. I know they always say hope for the best, but plan for the worst, yet I realize how I haven't done that enough in my life. Maybe that's why so many people tell me I'm too careless..."

"Indeed. Hard to believe the saying 'you can't win them all', when you have won them all. My life never really started down that path in the first place, so I've always put just as much or more thought into planning for the worst rather than best outcome."

The elevator then reached the top floor, as the two fighters stepped out and preceded to Lee's office. Though it was still really Kazuya's, one could say.

"More questioning again?" what appeared to be yet another tall guard ask.

Lee nodded. "Everything will be taken care of, indeed..."

The guard nodded, and spoke something into a walkie-talkie while turning around.

Chaolan lead Wulong to the large office doors, before opening them as they soon entered directly afterwards. The silver-haired man then shut the double, wooden doors back in proper place, and began ambling over to the CEO desk.

"About what you were saying before, I suppose that's what makes you a good businessman then," stated Lei, who was now looking around the rather colossal office room. "It seems for everything, there's always two ways to looks at something."

"Good or bad, obviously," Lee remarked. "Black and white terms..."

Lei gave another shrug, now leaning back on the office desk. "It just depends on how you look at things in life."

"That depends on how much light you have in your life, though," Lee sighed, looking down at the carpeted red floor.

"That's why you have to be your own sun. Remember, the sun does not rise to set, it sets to rise," Lei assured with a brighter smile.

Lee suddenly grinned. It was rather... derisive... "Now I know why Kazuya's so intrigued by Fury, the same way I am by you."

Lei's smile immediately melted at the sudden change of tone in Chaolan's voice. "Huh?"

The taller man moved over a couple steps, to where he was standing right next to the suddenly bemused detective. He leaned in to what was definitely crossing into Lei's personal space, as he whispered into his ear. "Looks like you decided to do the unfolding after all..."

Though very, very startled, the second Lei felt Chaolan's hand on his face and lips on his ear, he backed away in apparent hysterics. "What the hell do you think you're doing? And what are you talking about?"

With his hands behind his back, Lee began a steady pace forwards towards the other fighter, who chose not to recoil even a bit. Then, in what seemed like a lightning-fast motion, Lei found he wasn't even standing anymore.

His back was on the desk...

What the...?

"Can't you see, Lei Wulong?" Lee mused as he held Lei's elbows to the desktop. "You've fallen right into a premeditated trap..."

"W-what...?"

"You heard me."

"If I were you, I'd get the hell away from me right.. now.." Lei ordered in a stern voice.

"And if I were you, well, let's just be glad I'm not..."

Lei's caramel eyes grew huge. This hadn't been Chaolan's voice...


	9. The Truth's Veracity

**A/N: **I should be scolding myself right now... I have a LOT of work to do today, yet I'm still up at 4:03 a.m. because I was reading South Park Stan/Kyle fics... LOL. Watch me end up writing that some time...

Those of you who keep giving me the good reviews, mega-thanks! Otherwise, I would more than likely forget about ffdotnet altogether from all the school/work now. It's those alerts in my e-mail box that remind me.

To the person who sent me the message regarding the Celsius statement, you're probably right. (sweatdrop) We use Fahrenheit here in Texas, where it gets REALLY hot, so for me, anything under 70 degrees F IS cold... I think we get one snow day every three years. But anyway, I'll try to remember to correct that later, but right now, the files are gone. I'm in the process of dismounting my harddrive D, because the entire disk is screwed...

This chapter is slightly long, so my apologies...

**In the Shadows**

Chapter 9: The Truth's Veracity

-------------------

---

Kazuya Mishima...

"Uh oh Kaz, looks like Lei here's bit dumbfounded," Lee laughed, as Kazuya himself began to make his way towards the other two fighters.

Sure enough, Kazuya had been in this office the entire time. Where, Lei didn't know. "What the hell is going on here?"

"Oh, who knows?" Kazuya remarked in his classic, spiteful voice. "Maybe I'll just... have a seat in my chair here, and watch Chaolan fuck you on my desk?"

"WHAT?!"

Okay, true, this hadn't sounded very intelligently calm or anything, but... yes, Lei didn't like the sound of Kazuya's little suggestion in the least...

"You've been a bad little cop," Kazuya mused just as Lee had before, indeed taking a seat in his office chair right behind Lei. "Spying on me, trying to steal Jun from me, spreading around naughty rumours about me... Damn, I just can't seem to get rid of you, can I?"

"You're so sick..." Lei remarked, realizing he couldn't move out of place even a bit, now that both Kazuya and Lee were holding him down...

"What should we do to him?" Chaolan asked in that unchanging, derisive voice.

"Well I, for one, have always wanted to do this..." And with that, Kazuya gave Lei a rather ferocious backhand to the face. So hard, in fact, that the opposing side of Lei's face slammed to hit the rosewood desk with the same force of impact.

Lei stopped struggling altogether as the pain of Kazuya's blow took over. At this point, Kazuya walked around to the opposing side of the large, custom-carved desk to where Lee was standing, and gestured for him move. The Japanese took this moment to fully lean over Lei for himself, giving a temporary scowl, yet amused all the same.

"Now listen here, Wulong. I _am _going to blackmail you. You are going to do as I say, or I'll send those little recordings of you and Fury out to the headlines before you have the chance to get in another blink," Kazuya guaranteed in a threatening tone. "You are to tell your insignificant little force that I am guilty of _nothing_, or I'll make damn sure you are _nothing_. I mean this literally, of course. I wouldn't mind having Abel disintegrate you one fucking bit."

"I'll do nothing of the such..." Lei whispered, unmoving.

Kazuya grinned still more. "Chaolan and I figured that. Actually, we knew that. That's why everything's already been specially taken care of... So, as you wish, yes, you will die today."

"You didn't deserve Jun..."

Kazuya's grin instantly faded, turning into an angry frown as his hands found their way to Lei's neck. "You little bitch. I'm going to make you wish Fury had killed you, for no pain he could put you through will compare to that I can, and will, give you."

As Kazuya's grasp on his neck tightened, Lei found he couldn't breathe. At all.

It took every bit of restraint Kazuya had imaginable to hold back on giving the detective his already prolonged execution ceremony this very second. "I've waited so fucking long to see you die..." Kazuya growled, "Too long. I kept coming so close in the past, but you'd always manage to escape... somehow. Not this time."

When Kazuya's grip on his throat relented, Wulong instantly gave a few loud and repetitive coughs one after the other. The CEO smirked, and lowered his right-hand to Lei's heavily breathing face. He ran his thumb across Lei's lower lip, watching the blood to smear.

From a few feet over, Chaolan watched as Kazuya continued to seemingly advance upon Lei, causing his dark brows to furrow beneath silver tendrils of hair. "Kazuya... are you really going to do this to him?"

"Why wouldn't I?" Kazuya remarked as he pulled away from the man underneath him, licking the gathered crimson from his right thumb.

"Because I'm going to break your fucking neck, that's why."

Kazuya and Lee both turned around, to see yet another new, though expected, visitor...

"Ah, Fury," Kazuya said with a grin. "You're a little early."

Lee nodded in concurrence. "Indeed. During our meeting last night, I blatantly remember telling you not to get here for another hour."

The sound of a door shutting was heard, as Bryan fully stepped inside the lavishly large office. Fury extended his arm, pointing to Kazuya. "You get.. away from him.. right.. now.."

"Or what?" Kazuya questioned, certainly sounding amused.

"Oh Kazuya. You don't have to ask that, do you?" Bryan grunted, beginning to step, or rather stomp, forwards. "I'm still trying to decide on what's the most painful way I can watch you slip into your death as we speak."

"Funny. I was thinking of the same thing regarding you," Kazuya remarked in a rather contented voice. "And your little slut here, while I'm at it."

"I believe you are gravely mistaken..." remarked Bryan, who was still continuing to step forwards in the general direction of the other three fighters pace by pace. As he neared, Lee fell into fighting stance, while Kazuya remained in a normal, upright standing position.

"I'll show you a thing or two..." Lee lowly stated, before charging right at Fury.

"Fuck..." Kazuya instantly cursed under his breath. "Lee, don't!"

Not thinking he had anything to worry about in the slightest, Bryan didn't even revert into fighting stance as Lee ran towards him with no intention of going into retreat. Unfortunately, this gave Fury a nice taste of Chaolan's silver whip in turn.

Lee grinned, then beginning one of his classic laser edge kick combos. Bryan could only block the attacks at the moment to his best. This guy was fast. Damn fast. Every time a kick came, it was like his leg was extended out again without ever having retreated in the first place. Lee suddenly pulled back, in preparation to launch one his most ferocious attacks.

"Taste my silver fang," Lee scowled, right before his left-fist shot out at Fury.

Lee's grin instantly took an abrupt leave when his fist was caught right in the palm of Bryan's hand. When Lee tried to pull his arm back, he couldn't. In a flash, the taller man jerked him forwards and twisted his body around. Next thing Lee knew, he had a knife to his neck...

Kazuya was angry.

Very angry.

"You weak little fool..." Bryan spoke, pressing the sharp features of the already blood-stained razorblade knife he held harder against Lee's neck. "Looks like you'll be the first in here of three to die..."

"Not so fast," Kazuya smirked in turn. In a few quick motions all streamed together, he turned, and ensured his grasp around Lei's neck, before raising the detective up to a standing position. Kazuya all but mimicked Bryan's own motions. Surely enough, Lei had had a knife to his own throat now... Not nearly as big as the knife Bryan was holding, but hey... it'd still get the job done... One slash, and end of story...

"You take mine, then I take yours," Kazuya once again smirked, though sounding more angered.

"You think I care if he dies?" Bryan questioned, directing his glance to Lei.

Kazuya actually grinned at this inquiry. "As a matter of fact, yes, I think you do." The moment he spoke this, he pressed the blade harder against Lei's flesh; just hard enough to where blood visibly coated the steel blade. Wulong winced in pain instantaneously.

Fury very evidently didn't seem to like the idea of this. Not one bit. Either of Lee's black-gloved hands were gripping onto Bryan's arm which held the knife, trying to pull it away even one inch. It was useless. Lee too was then graced with the same pleasure Lei had previously undergone, as Bryan sliced the blade just enough to draw the thinnest gathering of freshly drawn crimson.

"Let him go," Bryan ordered, his eyes narrowed right at the CEO in ultimate wrath. "I don't care if Wulong dies. How he dies, yes. I want him to die, but it's my kill to make. No one else's."

"Why is that?" Kazuya asked with a hidden presence of knowledge, yet knowing the answer.

Bryan grunted at this. "You know damn well he's the reason I died. Therefore, it's only fair that I bestow him with the same gratitude. I have every intention to shoot him in the exact same seven places I was shot when I died right before his eyes."

"I know that," replied Kazuya. "Your life truly is quite the empty space, isn't it? Very well then. Release Chaolan, and I release Wulong."

"Fine," Bryan responded in an angered spat. "But let's see. How exactly are we gonna do this? You don't trust me, and I sure as hell don't trust you. I doubt a countdown in this matter will be very suiting."

"But if you're a real man, you'll leave this between you and I." And with that, Kazuya removed the pocketknife from Lei's throat; forcefully throwing the long-haired fighter aside to the floor as he balled his fists.

Bryan smirked, and did the same thing to Chaolan as the Silver Devil roughly hit the carpet floor with a loud clank. "This time Mishima, you will not win..."

"Noted you said 'this time'. That clearly gives the detail that 'last time', no victory was in your possession," Kazuya mocked.

"I'd watch that smart-ass mouth of yours, mister high and mighty Mishima," Fury criticized. "Don't think I won't hesitate to rip your fucking head off as the rest of your body is thrown out the window to splatter on the streets while I make you watch. Then I'll toss your shit-head out is well."

Kazuya laughed at this, shaking his head side to side. "Amusing. Very amusing."

"I'll give you something to smile about, alright," Bryan hissed.

"Very well then," Kazuya said in his continued voice of contained amusement. "To the room's center. No weapons. We fight to the death."

"You fucking got it," Bryan smirked in remarks, sounding vicious as ever.

Lee had once again joined Kazuya at the CEO's side, giving Bryan the same temperamental glare of rage as Fury was giving Kazuya.

Wulong was just now the process of standing from the floor he'd been thrown to crash upon himself; still relishing in the pain Kazuya has previously presented him with. This was definitely not his day in the least... He closed his eyes, almost wincing at the sharp pain of the headache he was now experiencing. His glance was then unshielded, and redirected to where it was set right on Fury.

"Bryan..." Lei began, trying to gather his voice to a tone made up of sterner features. "Don't do this..."

"Hmm..." Kazuya chuckled, rather devilishly. "Seems you're not the only one in here who thinks you cannot defeat me."

Bryan's ice-cold eyes narrowed back at the Japanese, before the American began a rough saunter towards the room's center. There lay a large, purely red square of unaltered space. It was unlike the rest of the office's carpet, which was inundated in intricate designs of black and midnight blue patterns.

Lei stared.

This was the exact same place those final matches of the second Iron Fist had been held...

Kazuya's expressions were nonchalant when he began treading to the opposing side of the crimson-coloured rectangle, as Bryan already stood impatiently at the other. The Mishima turned back, directing his glance at Lee. "Chaolan, would you do me the pleasure of taking care of the other piece of trash in my office? I'd like to keep it presentably clean, after all."

Lee's grin altered to match Kazuya's previous one, as he turned to look over at Lei. "No problem..."

Lei narrowed his eyes at Chaolan, knowing he was about to have a little fighting match of his own... As Kazuya reached his place in the office, something then rather entrancing happened... Lei abruptly looked around in sudden astonishment. The entire room grew nearly pitch black in a matter of seconds. Wulong turned to look at the windows, which were now overlapped by a long display of thick, cerise curtains. All of the light in the room being produced by electricity had also been shunned.

"What the hell?" Lei whispered.

Lee gave a rather dark laugh, matching the new atmosphere. "Mess with the devil, and you can expect he'll show you a few surprises in hell..."

Bryan looked around in confusion, also wondering how Kazuya had done this. Things didn't just... move on their own. "Your little tricks don't frighten me, Mishima."

"We'll soon see what does, then." Kazuya fell into fighting stance just as these words were spoken. His stance was in a few ways a lot like Bryan's own, only with fists held at an even level, and chest facing more forwards rather than in a sideways position. Kazuya's stance was surely one that said he was fearless when it came to taking hits, being his stance showed he didn't expect to receive them in the first place. Bryan's stance was actually angled to better avoid them, showing he actually did consider this possibility.

Bryan gave a sudden and rather malicious laugh. Afterwards, he proceeded to charge right at Kazuya, who also was quick into making his way towards the other fighter.

No sooner later, Chaolan and Wulong were also about to engage in their own battle alongside Kazuya and Bryan's.

"You know, I'm surprised you never even figured out it was I who ransacked your hotel room," the silver-haired man revealed with amusement in his voice. "Kazuya and I couldn't have you going there, now could we? Then Fury surely would have gotten to you first..."

The detective's appearance shown anger, but he didn't have time to comment on this. Lee was quick to shoot out with a nice sliver heel, though Lei was quick to duck in order to dodge the attack altogether. When Chaolan swung a low sweep just as he landed, Lei jumped and also avoided the hit. The long-haired fighter fell into a much lower stance as Lee once more proceeded to attack him. Right when in direct range, Lei's arms flailed from together, to apart, and then back again as his arms then separated vertically rather than in a swift, horizontal motion. Lee was delivered a harsh panther scratch as his body was knocked backwards to the point he nearly pummeled to the ground. Wulong then fell into phoenix stance as his right-arm and left-leg rose up.

Lee smirked, starting to get the picture. Lei's fighting style was focused more on avoiding hits, and bringing the opponent to him to receive attacks, rather than going in to launch them for himself. Since the detective's range of hit was so limited in comparison to his own, all this meant was he left a good amount of space between them, and victory was his. Fierce kicks were his specialty...

"Are you afraid now?" Lei smirked, remaining his current stance.

"Actually, considering you're the one refusing to attack, I'd say it's you that's afraid. No sooner later, Lee when right in to do a shin head to flip kick. Lei was actually able to block the first two hits, but once Chaolan refrained into doing that back-flip kick of his, Lei took a rather harsh hit as he fell backwards to land on the dark, carpeted ground below.

"You're fast," Lei remarked as he sprung from the ground. "Very fast, but you fight carelessly."

When Lei came in, Chaolan actually fell into hitman stance and gave him a nice come hither finger. However, Wulong pulled back at the last minute; instead giving the Silver Devil a nicely delivered windmill kick.

Lee's head fell back at the attack, while he fell out of stance in the process. He and Lei both had matching, bleeding lips now. Chaolan was still angered from Lei's previous statement against him, even more so than at the hit he'd just taken. "You may be agile, but your attacks have virtually no power. I'm guessing that's why you have so many to make up for it."

"If that's how you feel about them, then come here and I'll give you more," Lei remarked in anger.

Chaolan noted the way Lei seemed to be clutching his chest from the direct strikes there he'd already received. Lee grinned rather evilly. "My pleasure..." After speaking this, Lee charged in. Lei had a great low parry, and it was obvious he was getting ready to use it. Escaping attacks seemed to be the detective's specialty. Chaolan's range was much greater, though, and this was where he held the power. His left leg flew out at the same time as Lei's, though Lei's never reached Chaolan. Instead, Lee was the one who was awarded with getting the hit in, and due to Lei's failed attack, he was left wide open for reception. Lee kicked again. Then again and again and again.

This was the infinity kick, alright...

Neighboring this fight, Kazuya and Bryan were still in the process of having their own ongoing battle.

Fury arose, just after taking a nice demon god fist from Kazuya.

Kazuya was breathing heavily, though he still had all the strength in the world to smirk as he looked to the side. "What a pity. Chaolan finished taking out his half of the trash before I did."

"Shut your mouth," Fury spat out. "I'll tear your jaw right off. We'll see how much you'll be smirking, then. Besides, how many moves all together do you have? Ten?" he laughed.

"Go figure. You're not even smart enough to count correctly, are you?" Kazuya mockingly mused in reply. "Still, why would I have expected otherwise? You truly are stupid."

"You pathetic shit," Bryan retorted, balling his fists even tighter than they already were. "You're the idiot here, Kazuya, for you dared to fight me in the first place. Anyone with an IQ above five would know that's not a wise decision."

Kazuya smirked and went back in. He'd see how much Fury would laugh at a nice abolishing fist, alright.

As Kazuya came within range, Bryan crouched while Kazuya's arm was unleashed above him. In turn, Fury instead unleashed a nice fisherman slam upon Kazuya.

Kazuya didn't even have the time to slip into bewilderment. His body was lifted into mid air over six feet. It was like his entire body was nothing more than a mere feather to Fury. A split-second later, and Bryan slammed him down straight to the floor.

"It's a good thing your levels must be rather thick," Bryan taunted following a laugh. "Otherwise, I get the feeling you would've gone right through the floor just now."

Kazuya tried to sweep in from the ground, but Bryan backed away to instead give him another kick. Damn. Bryan's range was even longer than Lee's, yet so much more powerful. It was almost as if his legs could stretch out over space endlessly.

When the Japanese fighter fell back to the floor, Bryan merely walked up several long steps, and kicked him to where Kazuya's body was flipped over like a skewering pancake on a skillet. Bryan actually spit down on him after this.

"That's it. Crawl before me like the worthless, weak little bitch you are," Bryan grunted with amusement. Kazuya was just now rising up to standing, and it didn't take a genius to spot he wasn't feeling very good at this point in time. Bryan's attacks were just too powerful for the good of anyone else. What Bryan didn't know was that Kazuya actually had many more powerful attacks than he did...

Kazuya stood, clenching his fists as he faced the floor. He had yet to look up at Fury since he had fallen.

Bryan simpered. One match kick would be enough to earn him the victory he deserved now.

From the ground, Lei first looked up at Lee, and recognized that same grin on his face from the previous night in the park. That same grin that unmistakably said 'I know something' without the need of vocalization being necessary to get this point across. Lei's brows furrowed at this, before he looked back at Kazuya. Lighting was beginning to surge all around his fists and he crouched lower and turned slightly, just as Bryan was going in for the attack. Kazuya's eyes also appeared to be glowing cerise red...

Lei's own eyes widened. He already recognized this attack... He didn't even have the time to get in a loud 'don't' before Kazuya's entire form surged upwards in a rapid, spinning motion. Bright streams of fluently violet-blue lightning filled the air as Kazuya's famous lighting screw uppercut was performed at its maximum output.

When Fury finally fell to hit the ground this time around, he didn't get up...

"All too easy..." Kazuya spoke between breaths.

"Took you long enough," Lee mused almost playfully, as he began pacing forwards to close in the distance between him and Kazuya. "Do you know how long I've been standing here?"

"We'll have plenty of time to celebrate together tonight," Kazuya grinned deliciously.

"You two are both sick," Lei managed to get out, still unable to get over the harsh pain searing in his chest from the incessant kicks he'd received one after the other. "No matter what you do to me, neither of you will ever get away with what you have done..." he whispered.

"Uh oh, I'm really scared now," Chaolan teased.

"Never get away with anything?" Kazuya snickered, "Oh I'd say I've gotten away with quite a bit in my time... Maybe this would be a good opportunity to demonstrate the real reason no one on your insignificant little force are ever able to determine the cause of death in all these unsolved mysteries of yours... " He then walked over to where Bryan had fallen to land, near to knocked-out...

Lei's look of ultimate discontent didn't fade when Fury was thrown right next to him.

"Now then, what should we do with the trash first?" Kazuya questioned, looking at Chaolan.

"I don't know dear brother, what might you suggest?"

Bryan was just beginning to come around again, and for obvious reasons, felt like utter shit. He was actually having a hard time breathing sufficiently in reaction to that last viciously delivered blow of Kazuya's. When Fury's eyes opened, however, the first thing he saw was Lei's eyes looking back into his.

"I know the words you spoke to me last night were sincere..." Lei whispered. "I'm so sorry... About all of this..."

"Tragic, isn't it?" Kazuya taunted. "You know, it sure is a find out when you go on so many years never knowing the truth..."

"What do you mean?" Lei inquired, now looking back up at Kazuya.

"When Bruce Irvin became my bodyguard, you were the only one who ever came close to discovering I'd had him brainwashed to suit my needs..." he smirked as if he were the devil himself... "Just like you had thought in your motives for entering the second tournament, it was I who had Bruce blow your cover on the airplane, when your second partner was murdered, and it was I who gave Bruce all of his pending orders, and it was Bruce who gave Fury his. Having no control over his thoughts, Bruce had acted accordingly to every pull of his puppet strings... Even where matters of drug-dealing, for example, are concerned... Bryan Fury did not die because of you, Lei Wulong. He died because of me."


	10. The Force of a Paper Cut

**A/N: **I posted the final two chapters to this fic since they're fairly short, so it's now complete! W00t, I actually finished a multi-chapter fic in under a year... Thanks to all you guys who read this far! (hugs)

Absolutely Tekken: Thanks mucho for the compliments! I'm not sure I know what you mean about chapter 8, though I'll hope it's not a bunch of typos. 0.0

ChibiShiva: I'm guessing you meant Bryan, rather than Bruce in the review, lol. I don't think many people know, but yes... Kazuya wanted Lei dead, set-up his partner Bruce's plane-crash, brainwashed him, and then ordered Bruce to exterminate Lei after manipulating him. Bryan was a student of Bruce's, got in to drug-dealing after Bruce did at this point, and later replaced Bruce as Lei's new partner. So when you look at it, if it wasn't for Kazuya, neither Lei nor Bruce would have ever entered Tekken in the first place, Bryan never would have became Lei's partner or dealt drugs, so he wouldn't have died the way he did. This means that time-machine thing Xiaoyu's trying to pull would change quite a bit if it succeeds. Oo;;;

It took me awhile to figure that out in the past year, since that was the hole... Lei's first partner never really died on an airplane at all, because it WAS Bruce. Lei only saw him as dead, because Kazuya had taken away all of his memories and replaced them with false ones. And yep... I am a real nerd. x.x;

**In the Shadows**

Chapter 10: The Force of a Paper Cut

-------------------

---

Lei's eyes widened in ultimate horror. All these years... All these endless years he'd gone by blaming himself for so many deaths... Driving him insane. The guilt literally eating him alive day by day.

When all this time, it was Kazuya to blame...

"You... monster!" Lei exclaimed in hate. He even felt tears come to his eyes as he charged right up from the ground and right at the standing CEO.

Kazuya delivered a punch at first available opportunity, and sent Lei straight back down to the ground he had just come from. He then ambled over, reaching down to grab him by the neck as he raised the detective up to his knees.

Kazuya could see the tears in his eyes, making his inner demon grin in delight.

Lee watched from several feet over, and suddenly... this wasn't fun for him anymore... True, he'd known all about Bruce's brainwashing after the set-up plane crash all those years ago, on top of everything else... But still... This just wasn't funny anymore... Somehow, it just wasn't...

That look on Lei's face reminded him so much of the one his own had bore so many times in the past...

"Kazuya, don't do this..." Lee spoke in a calm voice.

Lei gasp for breath as Kazuya's grasp upon his throat tightened, while he noted the way Kazuya's eyes had once again taken on that inhuman amber glint of theirs. Despite the way his vision was beginning to blur, the long-haired fighter could visibly see the third eye beginning to surface between Kazuya's glowing stare. Lei suddenly knew the answer to how the Mishima had been executing people...

Chaolan was right. Lei had unfolded it after all...

It now looked as though death was perhaps the price of learning this...

Lei continued to stare up into Kazuya's glowing eyes, which were glaring down upon him murderously. He could only imagine what being shot with Devil's eye-laser was going to feel like... It was said to be the worst imaginable pain ever... "Kazuya... isn't there even a trace of good left in you? A trace of the man Jun fell in love with...? Even in death, she still loved you... Did it bring you pain, as it did I...?"

Kazuya's grip temporarily loosened, as all those haunting memories of Jun suddenly came back to roam his thoughts. They'd been trapped in the untouchable corners of his mind for so long... Yet they were able to overlap everything else so quickly... Though Kazuya himself had taken a sudden pause, the demon who shared his soul didn't agree with this... and was still thirsting for the amusement Lei's belated death would bring.

Still, at this moment, something rather unexpected happened. Bryan's form was suddenly mobile again, as his body shot up from the ground in furious rage.

Kazuya was too caught up in his current state of conflicting thoughts to even recognize Bryan's sudden charge from the ground.

However, someone else did...

A loud cry of pain was heard, as Kazuya and Lei both fell to the floor in having been knocked over with such unimaginable force. For Lei, the hit to the ground wasn't at all pleasant, yet the feel of his neck being free of Kazuya's grasp surely was on the contrary. He took a brief moment to better gather his thoughts, and slowly raised his body from the uncomfortable sideways position he had fallen to land in. What he then saw caused him to elicit a startled gasp.

Obviously, Fury had rejuvenated to some degree. Kazuya's recent declaration was of course enough to give him the will to fuel _any_ outburst with... However, it was clear Kazuya had taken no hit...

It was Lee who had.

Internal blood was visibly draining from the corner of Lee's mouth as Kazuya flipped him over. He could barely believe what had just happened... It had happened so fast without warning...

"Apparently, Jun wasn't the only one who loved you..." Lei whispered, looking at Kazuya.

Kazuya felt his eyes start to sting with a familiar, yet distant burning feel as he held Lee in either of his arms; both of them still on the floor.

Above them, Bryan Fury stood to the best of his ability. He was hunched slightly, clutching his scarred chest in the pain of Kazuya's vicious uppercut he'd earlier been presented with. Still, he was looking angry as ever. "All these fucking years. It was _you_ to blame for my death... I am going to FUCKING KILL YOU!!!"

"Stop it!" Lei exclaimed. "Please... just stop it... I can't take anymore! Don't you see where all of this hatred as brought us? It's molded us with these horrible facades, only to trick us to believing they really are us. A life based solely on hatred is a life we can only hate ourselves, but it doesn't have to be this way..." Lei looked up at Bryan, who was already looking down at him. "All those years ago... I... I did love you... Damnit, I knew it was wrong, yet I did... But is that part of you still alive? Or did it die just as Kazuya felt his did? Why become the object of your disdain for yourself...?"

As several, unshielded tears fell from his eyes, Lei swore he could see Bryan and Kazuya both trying to hold back their own...

Gods... this was surely one of the most horrible times in their lives...

_Ever._

This went for every one of the four fighters.

Bryan turned his head to the side, making sure no one could see his current expression. No sooner later, he just... walked off.

Next thing, Bryan was out the office doors without looking back even once. No second words, no second glances. Nothing.

Lei found it in him to stand; continuing to watch Kazuya as he held the unconscious Lee in his arms. Apparently, Chaolan hadn't needed to hear Lei's previous words to understand them. He had figured them out for himself... Maybe Lee had been right about them having more in common than he thought they had after all...

The long-haired fighter then turned, and did pretty much the same thing Fury had... Half of him had been hoping to see Bryan on the other side of those doors, but no one was to be seen at all. Lei exhaled deeply.

This chapter of his life would have a definite bookmark in the memory department...

-

-------

-

"Damnit Kazama, I hate it when you're right like this..."

"No you don't. You just hate it when you're wrong."

"Shut up," Hwoarang remarked with a flustered sigh.

"But indeed that's Lei's police car," Jin stated, sounding tentative about the possibilities. "So he's in here, alright..."

"I'll bet you Lee told him he had to come here," Hwoarang responded in assurance, as he and Jin continued walking through the ground level of the floored parking lot.

"Really?" Jin asked; his voice tone one made up entirely of complete sarcasm.

The redhead only grunted and rolled his eyes. "I wonder what's going on in there..."

"I don't know. But if it involves Kazuya and Chaolan, then you already know it can't be good..."

Hwoarang blinked. "...You think Wulong's dead?"

"Don't be ridiculous..." _Gods, I hope not..._

"No harm in walking a little faster, huh?" inquired the Korean, doing just that.

"Right there with you, Hwoa..."

The two fighters were just about to reach the back doors to the Mishima Zaibatsu at this moment, when something that definitely caught their absolute attention took place prior.

"And stay out! Don't let me catch your snooping ass around here again, or the boss will surely have it!"

A tall, dark guard yelled this as he forcefully shoved none other than Lei Wulong through the glass-plated doors with an angered growl.

Hwoarang turned back to Jin. "See, I told you the whole time there was nothing to worry about, but you never listen to me."

Lei just stood for a moment, indeed trying to make sure he even had the available momentum to retain proper stability. He redirected his glance upwards, to take in who were obviously Jin and Hwoarang.

The redhead flinched his expressions. "What the hell happened to you? You look like shit."

Lei's own expressions were actually rather zombie-like, as Jin's became rather worried. "Lei, are you alright?"

Lei forced a weak smile. "Of course I am."

And two seconds later, the detective fell forwards to land right in Jin's arms.

Hwoarang growled. "See Jin, he did that on purpose!"

"Shut up Hwoarang, no he didn't," Jin responded at this. "It looks like he's passed out... And look at all these bruises..."

"Hey, listen to that," Hwoarang spoke up as he turned around. "That sounds like ambulance sirens."

"It is..." replied Jin, already not partial to the given possibilities. "I wonder what happened in there?"

"Looks to me like Wulong was in some kind of a fight," clarified Hwoarang, who was currently rubbing his chin in thought. "Doesn't look like he's breathing right, either..."

Jin nodded in agreement of what Hwoarang had just pointed out, before lowering both himself and Lei closer to the grey cement in order to take a look at something.

"Hey... he tore my shirt!" Hwoarang scowled, now noting the rips in the very center of it.

"That's what I'm afraid of..." Jin replied, before grabbing the base of the pliable ebony shirt Lei wore and lifting it up a ways.

"Holy crap!" the redhead quite exclaimed at this. "Look at the size of that!"

"Gods..." Jin muttered. "This is horrible..."

"I wouldn't be surprised if his whole freaking ribcage is broken from the looks of that..." Hwoarang stated in an uneasy voice.

"I think this is the point where we get Lei to the nearest hospital..."

Hwoarang nodded, still staring at the rather large bruising of beaten flesh around Lei's entire chest and upper torso area. "This guy can't seem to keep himself outta trouble..."


	11. You Are Your Own Shadow

**In the Shadows**

Chapter 11: You Are Your Own Shadow

-------------------

---

_Two days later..._

_----_

"Lei... You sure it's a good idea for you to be leaving already?" inquired Jin, as he helped the detective pack what things of his were in the mostly white hospital room.

Lei nodded in approval of his decision. "It's only a couple rib fractures and some bruising. I was told they'd heal on their own in time."

"Sheesh. You're as stubborn as I am," Hwoarang sighed, leaning against the wall of Lei's previous hospital room.

"I wouldn't say _that_ stubborn," Lei smirked, though more playfully. "Besides, I just can't afford to stay here any longer. I've got to get back to Hong Kong as soon as possible. My flight actually leaves in less than two hours, so I've got to hurry as it is."

"Where are you going?" asked Jin, in noting Lei was about to turn left down the hallway in exiting the room. "The elevators down are the other way?"

"I know," replied the detective. "I just need to see someone first..."

-

-------

-

In your average hospital bed, sat none other than Lee Chaolan. He was fairly bored at this point in time. True, he didn't mind sitting around, but this was much different than lying out in the sun under an umbrella with a berry margarita.

Lee heard the sudden knocking upon his door. "Come in," he sighed, hoping it wasn't yet again another annoying nurse bugging him to get some rest, or worse, another one trying to flirt with him.

Chaolan actually gave a slight smirk when he saw who it was. "They're letting you out already?"

Lei gave a partial sigh. "Actually... I was supposed to stay here a few days more, but my force wouldn't take no for an answer."

"You mean you wouldn't take no for an answer."

"Well..." Lei began in remarks. "That is true, also. I don't want to get behind on my work. There's already another new case in China I'm needed on."

"Lucky you. I still have around a week left in this seldom place..." sighed Lee with arrogance in his voice.

"Don't fret over it. In no time, you'll be back to your old, swindling self," Lei chuckled.

"Hey..." Lee began in retort, letting out a slight scowl. "I am _not _old."

Both of the fighters then guffawed ever so slightly, though being Lei, his laughter was always much brighter than anyone else's. "Well, I've got to get going. I just wanted to thank you for the other day."

"Thank me?" Chaolan questioned in slight confusion. "What are you talking about? I deceived you, blackmailed you, and helped set up several near-death experiences for you."

"True... but you also saved much more in the end," Lei replied in a quieter, empathetic tone. He then proceeded to turn around once again in leave.

"I'll tell a certain someone you said hi," stated Lee, right before Wulong departed.

Lei turned his glance back one last time while standing in the partially open doorway. "You can tell a certain someone I said to stay out of trouble, or I'll be back."

The Silver Devil grinned his trademark half-smile again, right as the door fully closed. "Looks like you won't be away too long, then..."

-

-------

-

"Ready to leave?" asked Jin, who was standing with Hwoarang at the hospital's front entrance.

Lei nodded. "Indeed. I was ready to do that the second I arrived here, go figure."

"Need a ride?" inquired Jin, as he handed Lei the other of his two bags.

Wulong shook his head. "That won't be necessary. Several members of my force arrived yesterday, and I have to ride with them to discuss a few cases and such. They should be waiting for me outside."

"Alright then," Jin replied with a smile. "I guess this is goodbye."

"Only goodbye for now," Lei smiled back, walking a few feet over to the Japanese fighter to give him a belated hug. "Thanks for everything, Jin..."

"Yeah yeah yeah, that's enough already..." Hwoarang sighed with his arms folded.

Lei only chuckled as he pulled away from Jin, who did the same thing in letting out a few unrestrained chortles of his own. The long-haired fighter then walked over to where the redhead stood with unfolding arms.

"See you later hothead," Lei stated, extending his hand out.

"Alright Lei-Lei," Hwoarang smirked, reaching his own arm out to shake Lei's hand. "You know, you're not such a bad guy... sometimes, I mean..."

"Thanks, Hwoarang. Coming from you, I know that's a big compliment," Lei said with a smile, before turning to exit the hospital through its translucent, revolving doors. He looked back to give his two friends a final smile in parting, when a look of curiosity painted its way to Lei's face instead. Behind Jin and Hwoarang, a set of elevator doors had just closed together. In the elevator, he sworn he had seen...

"What is it?" Jin asked in slight puzzlement, after Hwoarang had turned around to see nothing Lei could have been staring at.

"Nothing." Lei shook it off completely, once again showing a brighter smile. "See you guys later."

"You know..." Hwoarang began, making sure the long-haired man was outside of the hospital before continuing, "I'm gonna miss picking on him."

Jin turned to smile at Hwoarang, as he threw his right-arm around him. "Hey, you and I can finally have some quiet time of our own now, without all the worrying."

"Never mind, I won't miss him that much," Hwoarang laughed, as he and the Karate fighter then proceeded to exit the hospital for themselves.

"Whatever am I going to do with you?" Jin sighed.

Hwoarang imitated Jin's previous sigh. "Oh, I'm sure you'll think of something, Kazama..."

-

-------

-

From a high, lucid window of the hospital's highest floor, a tall man in a long, dark green coat watched as a police vehicle drove off below, and into the distance. The man only gave a dark grin, before he turned to once again exit through the door of the empty, renovated waiting room.

He had a plane to catch.

As he exited the dark room he had previously been in, and ambled down the wide, tiled hallway step by step, no one really gave him a second look.

Except one person.

Just as the man stepped into a vacant elevator, another man smiled as the metal doors closed. He then folded the newspaper he'd formerly held in front of him, crossing his legs as he tranquilly sat in the dark, leather armchair. It was one of many occupied ones in a small resting facility twenty yards or so just in front of the four elevators.

Kazuya grinned, as Bryan Fury disappeared behind closing doors. "You can never hide from the shadows you live in."

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-End


End file.
